


Eternal Love

by morganaDW (morgana07)



Category: CW Network RPF, Supernatural RPF
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bottom Jared, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Time, Hooker Jared, Hurt Jared, Hurt Jared Padalecki, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, J2 AU, M/M, Mention of past childhood sexual abuse, Non-Consensual Violence, Not a death fic, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other: See Story Notes, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Violence, Possessive Jensen, Protective Jensen, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sick Jared Padalecki, Slash, Tags May Change, Top Jensen Ackles, Triggers, Vampire Jensen, Violence, mention of past Dom/sub
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-17
Updated: 2014-12-11
Packaged: 2018-02-21 13:10:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 11
Words: 84,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2469401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morgana07/pseuds/morganaDW
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jensen's been alone & happy with it for a very long time. 199 years to be precise but then being a vampire has taught him about being alone until the night he needs a companion and meets someone who will change his world.</p><p>Jared's been on the streets since he finally escaped a life of abuse at his stepmother's hands only to fall prey to a life nearly as bad. He's trapped in an existence where he sells his body for a man who's getting more & more demanding. A sudden pick-up one night for what was supposed to be a simple escort job for a lot of money turns into more than the 22 year old could've dreamed.</p><p>Two very different men from two very different lives quickly learn they can teach other and give each other hope for more when things suddenly go dark as Jared's pimp decides he doesn't want to let go all that easily and soon Jensen must choose between two heartbreaking choices.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author Note I: This is NOT a Death Fic. Just a heads up so I don't lose readers before you give it a chance. I don't usually like to spoil things in my notes but I also don't want to freak out any readers who might not know my style so just trust me.
> 
> Warnings: There will be violence, there will be explicit content scattered throughout. There will be foul language as well. There will also be mention of past child abuse, past non-con that's more implied and referenced than shown. There may be portions of non-con or attempted shown but will usually warn per chapter for those instances. I'll toss a trigger warning on the whole so readers can be aware of things that could cause.
> 
> Prompt: Mary Carman
> 
> Beta'd By: Cappy712 and Jenjoremy
> 
> Disclaimer: No, I don't own anything.
> 
> Author Note II: My first attempt at a vampire fic and I'm drawn to New Orleans on a whole so that's why it's set there as I tend to set a few of my pieces in that city. I'm not sure how long this one will be but I'm hoping to keep it below 20 chapters, lol. We shall see. Hope you guys enjoy it.

**Eternal Love**

**Chapter One**

** New Orleans, Louisiana: Present: **

Rage and grief were two things nearly unheard of being felt by vampires. It wasn’t because they didn’t feel because most did still have emotions. It was more that vampires learned long ago not to care about more than the present moment.

For close to 200 years that had been the hard lesson that Jensen Ackles had lived by. He’d closed his heart off except when he suited him and had been perfectly happy living his life the way he chose…until one night six months earlier when in need for a companion brought him something totally new; something he hadn’t realized he could still feel in his jaded life: hope and love.

Hope that perhaps even for someone like him he might be able to change and love for the big dark eyed boy that had entered his world with an innocent naivety that Jensen hadn’t expected from someone in what had been thought was his chosen profession.

A mere night had managed to chip away at some of Jensen’s icy exterior. It had also shown him that perhaps he’d lived too long, saw too much, and judged too harshly because he quickly began to understand that his ‘companion’ hadn’t made the choices he had as willingly as he’d first believed when meeting him and learning where his business manager had found him.

A week was all it took to convince the native to Louisiana that perhaps his stoic, icy life didn’t have to be that way if he let bright eyes, a dimpled smile and a simple scared boy’s innocence show him there could be more to a long life of eternity.

Of course it wasn’t easy to change. Jensen was used to getting his own way with very little issue. He was well known in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas as a rich young playboy living off his father’s money. He owned several businesses, ran a nightclub as well as a few deals overseas but no one but his closest associates knew the truth behind his façade. No one knew how long the 6’1 man with the smooth alluring drawl, rugged good looks and thick dark blond hair had been alive or his other secrets.

When Jensen made the choice to begin to change, when he discovered his emotions for his occasional companion turning to something much deeper it had been frowned upon by his friends and others of his kind. It also hadn’t gone unnoticed by others how much time he was spending with this boy and it was that risk that had finally made Jensen decide to take certain risks…risks that now might well cost him the happiness that he’d foolishly thought he could have without a price.

It had been nearly five decades since he’d foolishly let his arrogance make him underestimate a situation this badly; an error that may cost an innocent boy his life and all because of one man’s cruelty and greed.

The lights from the never quiet city went ignored this night as Jensen stood on the very edge of the roof over the townhouse he owned in the Quarter. This spot was one in the city he came when seeking solitude or privacy to escape even the hectic life of a vampire with too many responsibilities. He never shared this spot with others in his inner circle and had only just recently allowed one other to share it with him.

Now as he stared down at the streets, he made himself not look to the covered area off to the side. He could hear the soft sounds from under it but couldn’t stand to lift that cover to look at the soft furry baby rabbit that lived there which had been a gift to someone that he was now close to losing because he’d foolishly bought into his own hype.

“Y’know jumping won’t have much effect given you can’t die, don’t you?”

“Leave me alone,” Jensen’s voice lost a lot of the sexy drawl when angered and he was beyond angry right then. He was angry at himself. He was angry with the gravelly voice man who spoke from behind him and so many others who hadn’t been able to stop a bad situation from becoming deadly. “I don’t want to hear your excuses. I want to hear that you and the others have found Jeffrey Dean Morgan and that his beating heart was ripped from his chest,” he shot a look over his shoulder, vampire eyes having no difficulty seeing in the dark. “Or that you found him so he can know fear at my hands.”

“When have I ever made excuses to you?” Christian Kane countered from where he stood. The stocky vampire might have been Jensen’s longest friend as well as his bodyguard and business manager but he also wasn’t stupid. He knew when not to go close and this was one of those times. “I know I fucked up by bringing the kid to you that night. I should’ve found some other hooker on the street to pay to…Jensen!”

Jensen’s lean body was a blur when he moved with barely a thought to slam his friend back against the door, hand on his throat and sharp fangs showing as his temper increased. “I’ve told you before not to refer to him as that again. And while I wish other things were different I do not regret you finding him or bringing him to me. I regret my own stupidity for not seeing the danger I placed him in the other night and now I want the bastard who did this to bleed.”

He stepped back after his longtime friend didn’t make a move to fight back against him, scrubbing a hand over his face. “Tell me when Stella’s come out. I need to know what she says.”

Chris took a deep breath. He’d made the choice to come to the roof that none of them were allowed because he knew the news he’d deliver would not be accepted well. “She has come out of the bedroom, Jensen. She’s waiting for you.”

“What? Why the hell didn’t any of you yell for me then?” Jensen moved to go back inside only to feel himself tense, lips curling in a warning snarl when his arm was grabbed. “Chris…” he looked over and felt the ice on his heart get heavier at the grim look he was met with. “What is it? What did she say? How bad is he?”

“Dying.”

One single word; a single word that Jensen had heard many times in his 199 years of life but this time it had a much different reaction in him.

A red haze of fury filled him with a lust for blood unlike anything he’d ever felt before but once before when just in the infancy stage of his new life. This time it took every ounce of patience learned in nearly 200 years to not lose control and react with violence against those he held responsible for this.

He ignored Chris’s voice shouting for him. He ignored the worried and very wary looks of the others inside his townhouse when he hurried from the roof to the main floor.

Being a vampire gave Jensen acute hearing and senses so he could hear the whispers of both mortal and vampires as he moved toward the master bedroom. He sensed both concern, sadness, relief and also a much sharper emotion that nearly had him turning to deal with right then until another sound reminded him what his focus needed to be on right that moment.

The door to his private bedroom opened before he reached it to show him a grim faced older woman with light caramel skin, deep chocolate brown eyes and a sad smile.

“He’s asking for you, _cher_ ,” she murmured softly; the Cajun in her voice heavy as it had been since Jensen had met the healer. “I’ve done all I can, Jensen. Those animals hurt him too badly. Not even the best doctors on the Gulf Coast could save him now because it’s not only the internal damage but the drugs they gave him to make it look like a deal gone wrong. I’ve given him herbs and cast spells to make him comfortable but the pain and fear are there still. He needs you now, child.”

Jensen’s green eyes flicked up to easily see into the bedroom that was lit only with candles and a few lamps on the other side while a fire burned in the rarely used fireplace to keep the room warm for the badly shivering young man that was huddled under layers of blankets.

“What can I do?” he asked, keeping his voice low even as he knew the answer before seeing her look. “Stella.”

Stella LaCroix had been a healer in the Quarter for longer than she’d admit to. She carried a long line of power in her veins and sought to use it for good but occasionally she longed to use it for ill; like against the pimp who’d beaten a young man so badly that it hurt her heart to see what he’d endured.

Now she faced Jensen and knew all the good changes she’d seen in him recently were about to be wiped away. “Now you hold him, make your peace and let him go,” she watched his face twitch, saw the flash of power behind those green eyes but knew he’d control the fangs out of respect for the dying boy in his bed. “Christian told you months ago that you’d have to let him go or make the choice, _cher_. Now, you go be with that sweet boy.”

Jensen wanted to deny her words. He wanted to deny that this was happening but as he stepped further into the room and was instantly hit with multiple sounds and smells the vampire in him knew it was impossible to deny that this was very real.

His ears could pick up the strain in ragged breathing, the weak heartbeat that had once been so strong as well as a rattle that too many years around tuberculosis victims told him weak lungs were filling with fluid. His sense of smell was fighting the smell of blood that was all around them as well as a sick smell that was death coming close but it was his eyes that told him the full story even as he felt them burn.

His eyes even in the dim light could see bad bruises, welts, and cuts on a thin face that would always be handsome, boyish in Jensen’s memory. The blankets hid the other massive amounts of wounds that 12 hours of hell had caused but the vampire didn’t need to see them now. He’d seen them earlier when he’d cradled this boy in his arms in a room covered in blood and filth.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Jensen stepped up to the bed to carefully sit on the edge of the bed; willing his fingers not to shake as they carefully carded back through thick dark hair still sticky with blood and other crap that made the vampire wish those responsible could pay yet again.

The soft touch caused the barely conscious young man to stir weakly, tensing briefly before something registered that cause him to recall where he was now and who was with him. “… … Jen…”

A single word took so much strength now but despite the odd floating sensation that seemed to dull some of the immense pain there was no doubt in his blurry thoughts who was with him and also how bad things were.

“Jared,” Jensen’s voice was soft, huskier with emotions he’d battled to keep buried but knew it was hopeless when a hand struggled to move under the blankets to find him.

Taking the hand in his carefully to avoid his greater strength causing more harm and pain, he lifted it to his lips after seeing that Stella had wisely cleaned a lot of the blood away to avoid causing his nature from taking over. “Shh, don’t try to talk. Save your strength.”

“…Hurts.” Jared Padalecki couldn’t quite recall anything hurting as bad as he was right then and he’d suffered a lot of pain in his mere 22 years of life; especially since moving to New Orleans.

“I know you hurt, love. It’ll stop,” Jensen refused to say why it would but thought that Jared already knew he was dying. He brushed the pad of his thumb over a high cheekbone that was bruised and also shattered. “Jay, I…”

“…Not your fault,” Jared tried to open his eyes to see Jensen but could only pry one open and then found it blurry; too blurry to see anything but shadows and immediately got more scared. “Dying?”

Jensen took a long moment to still his thoughts on that one. He knew the outcome. He’d known it in his heart the moment he’d touched Jared after they’d finally gotten to him after his decision to get out of the ‘business’ hadn’t gone over well with others.

Now as he sat beside him on a bed they’d shared, the bed where he’d watched a shy young man learn he was more than someone’s toy or property, the vampire felt the pain building from emotions he hadn’t let himself feel in over a century.

“It is my fault,” he said instead of facing the other answer, unable to voice that yet. “I never should’ve allowed you to go alone.”

Jared gave up trying to see the handsome rugged face he’d fallen in love with, had learned to trust after so many years of believing other people’s lies and cruel words. He lay still to listen to Jensen talk to him, understanding in some way that he was dying and why but didn’t want to think on those thoughts as he tried to squeeze the hand gripping his.

“Talk to me?” he asked weakly, coughing and tasting copper; trying to move his other hand to wipe it away but stopped when he felt silk wipe over his lips. “Stay with me?”

“Even onto death, my heart,” Jensen promised thickly, shifting on the bed so he could sit closer; allowing a dying boy to huddle closer to him as blood loss, shock, and fear combined to make Jared’s body cold. “I’ll stay right with you.”

“Don’t…forget me?” Jared tried not to be scared but it was hard now as pain seared and it seemed like his hearing was coming and going even as his chest felt so heavy.

“Never, Jay,” Jensen knew he wouldn’t because in a matter of six months this handsome, loving, wonderful young man had changed him in so many ways. “Just try to rest. I…I need to talk to you about something anyway while you’re awake enough to understand.”

Talking between them was never a problem given that from the start Jared had been able to hear Jensen’s thoughts as naturally as if he’d been born to it but this time Jensen spoke slowly, carefully and vocally so he could be sure with Jared’s injuries that he understood what he said and the consequences.

“I won’t make this choice for you, Jay. I won’t take it away from you like it was taken from me just know that whatever you choose now I will honor it and I will never forget you or what we’ve had. I will never forget what you’ve done for me,” Jensen’s fingers did shake as they meshed with Jared’s to fold over his weakly beating heart. “I just hope you can forgive me for doing this to you.”

Jared thought he frowned a little at that. “You…saved me,” he mumbled, words slurring slightly but finally was able to get his other hand to move to try to lay it over the one already being held.

“No, I caused this to happen to you,” Jensen returned with bitterness plain until he saw the weak shake of a head. “Jay?”

“B…before,” Jared gritted his teeth against the pain that suddenly hit him but backed off with a soft murmur from Jensen. “Wouldn’t…have lasted…another month on the…streets. He…would’ve sold me to someone who…killed me one night or…I offed myself to escape it. Meeting…meeting you, gettin’ picked up by Chris that…night…saved me, Jen. Love…”

A hard coughing spasm cut the words off until Jensen brought the shaking younger man closer into his arms so he could lay propped up against his chest.

“Love you, Jay,” he whispered, sensing how weak Jared was becoming. He drew the blankets up more while folding his other arm around Jared as he felt him try to hold onto his hand. “Listen to my voice, think of the times we’ve been together or the night on the roof and don’t be scared. I’m with you.”

Jared knew that just like he knew that no matter what happened after this that he’d be safe. He let himself drift with the lulling voice in his ears and head as Jensen spoke quietly over the suddenly loud beating of his own heart.

The fear of the unknown was huge but Jared tried not to be scared. Instead he tried to think back on how his life had changed and the reason for it…

** Six months earlier: **

“Jared, you can’t keep turning down clients. If you don’t meet your nightly quota he’s gonna hurt you again.”

The concern in the petite brunette’s voice was genuine as she tugged her too tight black leather micro skirt down a little as she stood on a corner of a busy street in one of New Orleans slightly more seedier districts.

Even though the young man towered over her in height, Genevieve Cortese had been working these streets and working for one of New Orleans best known pimps since before she was legally allowed to. She’d immediately taken the quiet young man under her proverbial wing when JD put his hooks into him in a way to get him into his stable of male and female ‘escorts’.

Jared Padalecki had arrived in the Big Easy two years earlier. He’d been 20 years old and already a broken mess from years of abuse by his stepmother so he’d quickly and easy fallen prey to the sharks in New Orleans who’d only seen an easy piece of meat.

“JD hurts me for not meeting quota or one of the crazy ass johns kills me one time. I’m kinda not seeing the difference, Gen,” the 6’4” young man from a small town in Texas ran a hand through his nearly shoulder length dark hair that was slicked back and held with a band because that’s how their ‘boss’ demanded he wear it. “I wish I…” he sighed and shook his head; long ago accepting he’d made the life he had now and would probably die in it.

Once upon a time Jared thought he could recall being a typical average little boy in a loving home in Texas. Then his Momma got sick and went away when he was little, his Daddy began to drink and a new Momma came to live with them.

Jared couldn’t recall how old he was when his stepmother first touched him in a way that scared the confused boy but he did recall the backhand he’d gotten when he tried to tell his Daddy about it. That had scared him into keeping quiet about anything else that happened and when his Daddy drank himself to death and he was left alone with a woman who’d raped him by the time he was 13 he’d known what his place in life was.

His stepmother’s abuse was almost always sexual but it was also emotional and physical…until Jared began to grow and she realized he was getting too old to manipulate. That was when she began selling him for drugs and booze and that was also around the time she discovered that Jared was gay; a frightening thing for the teenager but a great thing for his cruel stepmother to use.

By the time he’d gotten the courage to ran at 17, he’d lost track of the times he’d been forced or hurt to the point where he feared he’d die so really the harsh reality of selling himself on the streets of New Orleans wasn’t anything he wasn’t familiar with…except things were starting to turn a lot darker.

When Jared had arrived in New Orleans with $100 in his pocket that he’d stolen from his stepmother and dreams of going back to school to get his GED since she’d pulled him from school at 16, he had hopes to make it on his own.

He planned to get a job, find a cheap place to live and eventually get a dog or a rabbit (he liked either) and then one day travel the world seeing all the places in the magazines he’d seen. Too bad it hadn’t worked out that way.

On his first night in the city, he’d been robbed by a kid younger than him and nearly stabbed if he hadn’t been saved by what he thought had been a Good Samaritan.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan had seemed like a miracle to a scared, hurt Jared. The older man appeared friendly enough when he offered him a place on his sofa for the night and hadn’t tried to abuse Jared’s fragile trust.

The man’s home in the Garden District had seemed like something out of a movie or book to Jared, who’d grown up in a small run down rental with a leaky roof and bad plumbing. The sofa was so soft and clean that he’d tried to tell his host that he’d sleep on the floor on the covered back porch but Jeff had merely laughed in a deep soothing way and refused the notion.

The man was probably in his early 40’s by Jared’s estimates with just enough silver in his black hair and neatly trimmed beard to make him look distinguished and trustworthy. Both of which Jared believed…until a few months later when his benefactor appeared at the job he’d helped Jared secure to ask him for a ‘favor’.

The favor wasn’t anything that Jared hadn’t done before but he’d been reluctant since he’d been trying to start his life fresh, away from memories of selling his body. He’d tried to politely refuse and at first Jeff had been understanding then came the day when Jared’s boss unexpectedly let him go with no solid reason and he was left once again with no way to afford his one room apartment until Jeff showed up offering to pay his way…if he did him that favor.

The single favor soon turned into more. The nightly companionship to wealthy old men with very little interest in sex soon turned into more active players who made no excuses that they’d paid Jeff a lot of money to fuck him and he was basically just another stud in Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s stable of whores and hookers.

Jared had been angry at being led on and used but when he’d confronted Jeff about it he’d been coolly told that he’d earn his place or could just as easily disappear to be used by far less nice clients. He’d also been shown a detailed list of everything he supposedly owed the older man and that to pay him back he’d simply have to work it off.

Of course Jeff would supply a room, clothes and food so long as Jared entertained correctly and brought in a certain amount of money every night.

It took a week of stunned numbness for the young man to realize he really was what everyone back home had said he was: a paid whore and a gay one at that. He’d begun to loose what was left of himself that night and what dreams he had were wiped away the first time Jeff sold him to a guy who liked to tie Jared up and whip him while fucking him using every available BDSM toy the man had.

Being on the street with Gen had come as Jared’s punishment for daring to fight back when a violent john had nearly choked him to death with a leather garrote. In his panic of losing consciousness, Jared had lashed out instinctively and had broken the man’s expensive nose job; of which Jeff said would come out of his meager percentage of his earnings.

He’d also come down with a bad case of pneumonia after the heat in his rat infested apartment was turned off as punishment as well so he hadn’t been able to work as steadily or the clients hadn’t wanted to fuck some guy who was hacking up a lung.

The last month he’d been working the streets with Gen and a few others and it was getting to the point where a side of Jared wondered when he’d have enough and just step out in front of one of the many buses to let it kill him and end his pain and shame.

Most of the guys who picked him were all the same and Jared figured it was because of his height and build that they took him for someone into the hard core S&M stuff. A lecture and a weekend chained to a wall taught him to take whatever a client wanted to dish out with his mouth shut but after one guy had nearly killed him it was getting harder for Jared to get up in the mornings to know what waited for him.

Then there were the ‘special’ clients that Jeff lined up for him that were more than scary and those were usually for more than an hour or two. Those sometimes bought him for a weekend and Jared hated them most out of any of the johns he dealt with.

Tonight he’d turned away two guys in expensive cars who’d made highly suggestive comments about what they’d like to do to him and with a chest so tight he could barely breathe, a broken rib and probably a concussion from the last guy who liked it rough.

Jared knew he’d be getting visited from either Jeff or one of the goons who did his dirty work for him when he needed to ‘discipline’ one of his people but right then he honestly didn’t care. He was tired, cold, hungry and just wanted to go home when his attention was drawn to the long black car with tinted windows that cruised up to the curb.

“Have fun,” he told Gen with a wan smile, knowing usually those types of cars wanted Gen or one of the other girls who strolled the streets. His type of John didn’t drive that fancy a vehicle.

“No, I’m not leaving you tonight,” Gen was readying her rare refusal line as the passenger door opened to allow a stocky man with wide shoulders, long black hair and eyes hidden behind mirrored glasses to step onto the sidewalk.

“So tell me how much for a night of being arm candy for my boss?” he asked in a gravelly voice.

Gen shot a concerned look at Jared. She knew if she passed this up it would be her in trouble since it would get back to Morgan but she also didn’t feel right about leaving Jared alone when even she could see his struggles. “I’m sorry but I’m about done for the night,” she replied in her best voice. Then gasped a little when steely blue eyes were shot her way from over the glasses.

“Well that’s real good since I wasn’t talkin’ to you, darlin’,” the man responded as his gaze shot to a stunned Jared as if appraising him. “Here’s the deal, kid. My boss had a sudden thing come up and it’s one of those things where he hates to go to without a pretty face on his arm. Now usually that pretty face looks like your little pal here but for some reason that escapes me he’s decided to give me a stroke or an ulcer and come out of the literal closet tonight and he needs someone on his arm to suit him.”

The man pulled a card out of his pocket, wrote something on it before holding it out. “One night just for being arm candy and maybe, if he likes you, a little more but I’ll bump up this figure if he does anything more than kiss you. You won’t get a sweeter deal tonight, kiddo.”

With wariness, that Jared had learned to have when something appeared to be too good to be true he took the card, squinting at the figure and knew if Gen hadn’t been standing beside him he probably would’ve dropped to his knees just from the number of zeros he counted. “All this for one night?” he nearly let his voice shake as he looked up to see the smirk.

“My boss pays his companions well to be arm candy and then there’s the bonus if he likes you enough to kiss you or ask you to spend the night with him then I up that by another 5K in the morning,” the man looked at Jared a little closer. “How old are you anyway?” he asked, quickly holding up a finger in warning. “Don’t lie to me cause you ain’t 30 but I can’t quite tell how far past being legal you are so give me a believable number cause while he doesn’t have a lot of rules he doesn’t do jailbait.”

“I’m 22,” Jared replied, hearing Gen’s gasp because he’d never once been honest about his age since getting trapped into working for Jeff. “I’m legal but…I’m not dressed fancy enough for anything like you’re looking for.”

The guy stepped up closer to eye him better and Jared swore he could feel a power from behind the mirrored glasses. “6’4” and under 200 pounds,” he spoke out loud as if telling someone else and Jared was stunned at how accurate he was. “Don’t sweat the clothes. We can supply them if you supply the body,” he nodded to the car. “We have a deal? I’m running short on time here.”

Jared looked at the figure on the card again and knew it would go a long way towards making up for the lack of money he’d been bringing in. He could feel Gen’s fingers digging into his arm and knew she was worried about just what this would end up being about but he also couldn’t afford to pass it up so he nodded slowly. “Yeah, I’m all yours,” he replied, patting his friend’s hand to reassure her. “I’ll call you tomorrow, Gen,” he paused to add. “Tell anyone who asks that I’ll be able to make my quota this week so maybe they could turn the water back on.”

“Be careful, Jared,” Gen urged, biting her lip as she watched the younger man get into the rear of the car before the guy got back in the front and it drove off. “Please be careful,” she looked at the name on the front of the card and had heard both good and bad things about Mr. Jensen R. Ackles.

Jared had nearly gasped aloud when he slid into the rear of the fancy car to see it was nearly as spacious as a limo and with just as many fancy things like a small mini fridge, a wall of glass that kept this area closed off from the front and leather seats that looked and felt so soft he knew if he wasn’t careful he could fall to sleep right there.

He was letting his hand move over the butter soft deep burgundy seat when the glass leading to the front slid down to allow the black haired guy to look back at him; instantly Jared locked his hands to his slightly shaking knees.

“She called you Jared. Is that your real name or a fake one that Morgan supplied this week?” he asked while stilling giving Jared the onceover.

“How…how’d you know I work for Mr. Morgan?” Jared was shocked at that. He knew there were plenty of other pimps in the city because Jeff was always in a constant battle to win territory and rights to other hookers.

The guy finally removed his glasses to give a pointed look at the not too subtle choker chain Jared wore while shooting the driver, a blond guy who was humming to himself, a smirk. “Only Jeffrey Dean Morgan, so-called wannabe pimp Daddy of the Big Easy makes his people wear collars like they’re less than human,” the disgust in his voice at that was plain. “Name?”

“No…it’s my name,” Jared admitted but kept to himself that he was punished regularly for using it rather than the stage name given to him. “It’s…easier for me to remember than a dozen fake names. Plus it’s not like most guys who fuck me really give a damn about calling me a real name. I’m sure your boss will be the same.”

“Oh, you are so going to be shocked about that, kiddo,” the guy returned, nodding to the mini fridge. “Help yourself. It won’t take us long to get back to where we’re going but you should probably get some water in you since it’s pretty clear you’re dehydrated.”

Jared was once again stunned by that and began to wonder if he just gave off these signs or if this guy was that damn good at reading people. “Umm, what do I call your boss or do I just keep my mouth shut and pretend to be non-existent. I’m better at that since I don’t talk a lot cause I’m pretty dumb and…”

“Kid’s got no self-awareness or confidence. Sheppard’s people will be all over him like sharks smelling blood, dude,” the driver muttered under his breath to his companion. “Did we pick the right one?”

“He’ll be fine. He’s arm candy. Jensen’s the one Sheppard’s going to be focusing on. The kid’s obviously been down the bad side of Morgan’s stable though so we might want to keep that in mind and give the boss the head’s up not to traumatize him too fast with any stunts,” the other guy returned while noticing Jared’s nervous little habits of tapping his fingers on his leg. “Give Danneel a heads up too about finding him proper clothes and getting that crap out of his hair.”

Jared had become distracted by the various brands of bottled water, chilled wine and samples of meats and cheeses in the mini fridge to pay attention to the two men up front. His stomach reminded him that he hadn’t eaten much in a few days but refused to touch the food because he didn’t want anything taken out of his earnings.

He did sip nervously from a bottle of what he thought looked to be the cheapest of the fancy waters while seeing that they were driving into the heart of the French Quarter, close to the fancy line of townhomes and swallowed thickly.

The car pulled into an open gate that had a driveway covered with arbors of various flowers and climbing vines. It looked both exotic and frightening to Jared but he shoved those thoughts away as he reminded himself what he was.

“Home sweet home,” the driver said lightly while shooting Jared a bright smile and a wink. “Dude, relax. You look like you’re about to meet a serial killer instead of going out to some fancy party on the arm of one of New Orleans richest men. I promise, Jensen doesn’t bite…or not on the first date.”

“Shut up, moron,” the gravelly voiced guy growled as he opened the door for Jared, nodding his head to a set of steps that seemed to go up. “Let’s go see if we have clothes that’ll fit you and shove your head under some water to get rid of the grease,” he rolled his eyes in more disgust. “I swear there’s enough oil in there for Chad to change the car’s oil twice.”

Jared only had a chance to blink before he was being hustled up the steps and into a townhouse that made him gasp at not only the size but also the grandeur and knew he was out of his element in the worst way. He also knew he’d just been insulted but knew enough to keep his lips zipped. Except on one thing. “Chad?”

“The moron who drove us here,” the black haired guy responded, dropping his jacket over the back of a high backed fancy looking sofa while motioning for Jared to step into the room. “You big on names, Jared?” he asked curiously while noticing the boy’s hesitance to step onto the thick clean carpet as if afraid of soiling it.

“No, sorry,” Jared kicked himself. He liked to know things. He liked calling people by their names but he knew he needed to stop doing that. He was just a nameless, faceless thing to be used by others at their will and discretion and…a sudden sound of something dropping had him turn to see a brief hard look being aimed at him and he was halfway certain the guy had actually heard his own thoughts. “What should I do or wait or…” he asked, feeling his head beginning to spin from too much stress, not enough food and some strong smell that scented the air.

There was suddenly an odd charge in the air that nearly knocked Jared to his knees at the force of it hitting him because he’d never felt anything like that before in his life. Then a deep husky voice with low sultry drawl that was half bayou country and half Cajun spoke from behind him.

“Stripping out of those clothes and letting me get a good look at you works for me, handsome.”

Jared turned quickly at the voice. He felt a blush working up his neck even though he’d had other more suggestive things tossed his way but it was the deep emerald green eyes that he met when turning that rocked him even more than the comment.

It was like he’d been punched in the gut by a sharp power of lust, want, confusion and some deeper emotion as he locked eyes with the ruggedly handsome, drop dead gorgeous Jared corrected himself, man who stood in a door that Jared hadn’t noticed before; immediately feeling like he was being examined inside and out and confused by the sudden pounding in his chest as he tried to look away from those eyes but couldn’t.

“So…you’re who Chris picked out for me this evening?” the man’s lips curved in slow smile that did nothing to curb Jared’s sudden nerves that he’d stepped into something above him.

“I…I guess so,” Jared cringed as he heard his own words, quickly seeking to add. “I mean, yes, sir, sir or…Mr…Ackles or…”

Green eyes moved over a long lean body before moving into the room with a cat like grace that Jared envied but went perfectly still when a slender hand raised to touch his face. He’d learned not to move or let on if a john wanted to touch him.

“So proper and polite,” Jensen Ackles murmured as he moved around the taller man to slide his eyes over the tight jeans, too tight t-shirt to smile slowly while letting his voice take on a more pronounced drawl than he normally used. “So soft spoken and good looking too; I might just forget the party and keep you to myself tonight. You look so good I could eat you,” he teased his fingers up a suddenly rigid chest to smile with just a hint of white teeth and also a quicker flash that was gone even before the tensing escort was certain he’d seen it.

Jared knew what he was. He knew what his role was in this and if he wanted to earn that money to hopefully keep Jeff Morgan off his back for a day or so then he’d have to remember to be a numb little toy even as he swore it felt like his skin under his shirt heated with the touch of those fingers.

He was fighting to breathe as his throat got tight and his already tight chest became even tighter as his nerves suddenly caused him to tense subtly but enough that his ‘boss’ for the night must’ve felt it cause he stopped to lift his eyes as if gauging Jared.

“Jensen, don’t scare the kid before the party,” the gravelly voiced guy spoke as he came back into the room with a garment bag. “You wanted eye candy and I got you that. But back off a little or at least introduce yourself before undressing him with your eyes or doing anything else.”

“You got him for me to use as I see fit, right?” Jensen shot back without moving his eyes from the suddenly widening hazel ones that seemed unable to look away from his, cocking his head curiously. “What if I decide to screw Sheppard’s party in my honor and play with him? It’s my money, right?”

“Jensen,” this time the other guy’s tone dropped lower, almost in warning as he tossed the bag and began to cross the room. “Back off a little. This one’s not like the others or what you’re used to in the club. He’s one of Morgan’s lot.”

Jared’s brain was shutting down from trying to find air when he swore the room was closing in on him suddenly as a buzzing was heard in his brain. He felt an open curiosity touch his mind but it was the fingers that touched his collar that had him jerking back without thinking until it was too late and all he could do was try to apologize and beg for the man’s forgiveness.

“I’m sorry!” he suddenly said, unaware that he’d grabbed onto a retreating hand; eyes wide but getting blurry. “I didn’t mean to do that! Mr. Ackles, I swear I can…I…” Jared shook his head, feeling his legs shaking under him while the room suddenly began to swim and even as he heard the gravel voiced guy let out a snarl and a shout of his name Jared knew he’d screwed up as white lights danced in front of his eyes and he passed out.

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

**Eternal Love**

**Chapter Two**

“What the goddamn hell were you thinking?”

“I was thinking that I was trying to get a handle on what the hell you picked out for me to use tonight!”

“You said you wanted arm candy for this party that Sheppard is throwing in your honor! You said you wanted a guy because you were tired of faking it with the chicks Chad or I bring you! You said you wanted good looking but not soft! You didn’t say you were going to fucking molest him with your eyes and put the living fear of God into him in the first goddamn five seconds of laying eyes on him!”

“It’s also my money you used to buy this kid for whatever I chose to do so what the hell’s the difference? And you usually don’t pick out wimps who freak out if I touch ‘em! I think you better not have paid him anything yet cause so far I’m not impressed, Kane!”

“He was letting you touch him, asshole! He was fine until you went to touch that collar and I think we both know why that freaked him out!”

“I want to know what the hell you did to cause this, Jensen Ackles! He’s white as a sheet, his face and hands are cold and clammy like a corpse!”

“What I…all I did was look at him! Blame this moron for bringing me someone who’s clearly sick since you can hear the rattle in his lungs! Where the hell’d you pick him up at?”

It was the different voices that woke Jared Padalecki. He was confused at first as he couldn’t quite settle his brain until his brain began to wake up and remembered he was supposed to be on a job as an escort for…

Panic hit a second later as it hit him that he must’ve passed out after the guy, his job, went to touch the collar that he’d been trained painfully never to let anyone touch or take off or else he’d be punished even more painfully than usual…of course if he couldn’t convince his client that he could do this job he might as well go step in front of that bus.

“I…God…no, I’m…fine. I’m sorry,” Jared thought he spoke but he wasn’t sure if anything came out other than a groan as his head ached when he went to push himself up from whatever he was lying on. “I am so, so sorry, Sir…Mr. Ackles…” he tried to apologize as fast as his thick tongue would let him while praying he wasn’t shaking or the tears of fear of failing didn’t show in his eyes like he thought they were. “I’m not like this. I can do whatever you want me to do. No problems. Just give me a second to wipe my face off and I’ll be good. I’ll do or say whatever you need or want just…please give me another shot to prove it. I’ll…you can cut the money in half of what he offered or in third or…”

Jensen had been pissed off at his business associate when the kid Chris had brought him had literally placed out in his arms after a simple touch to the cheap fake gold choker collar had freaked him out. Then he got pissed off more when both Chris and then Danneel jumped down his throat for scaring the kid by his rougher than normal first greeting.

Usually when in need of an escort for the evening or if he was bored and told Chris Kane to go find a suitable companion he let Chris or the others handle things first. He was hardly interested in first meetings or even first looks since he’d gotten used to his life many years ago.

On this night, Jensen couldn’t say why he’d been curious about the new arrival. He’d heard the car come back. He heard Chad telling Danneel the guy’s size and what they’d need to make him presentable for the party but then he was told to hold back and curb his usual chilly attitude and that finally made him go take a look.

To the city of New Orleans, Jensen Ross Ackles was a simple rich playboy living on Daddy’s money while his father traveled Europe to let his local businesses be run by Jensen and his inner circle. He ran Ackles Enterprises many businesses that included a shipping company at the dock, several bars including the one down the street from this very townhouse and a recording studio.

The Ackles’ were very wealthy and very influential in the city as well as Louisiana as a whole but what no one but a very select few was that there was no senior Ackles. It was and would always be Jensen given that he saw no reason to change the way he’d lived his life for the past 199 years.

Jensen Ross Ackles was born in Lafayette Parrish in 1786 to a wealthy and successful father and his second wife. He grew up well off, spoiled, as he was the only surviving son, and stood to inherit the cotton plantation and other wealth.

He was a stunningly handsome young man and knew it, so he never denied his arrogance. At 6’1” with thick wavy hair that was blond by nature but darkened slightly unless he was in the sun for long periods, Jensen’s eyes were a deep and brilliant green that often changed from emerald to jade depending on his mood. He’d gotten his father’s height, attitude, intelligence and deep voice as well as his mother’s finer features and love for learning and nice things.

He enjoyed going to New Orleans on business trips with his father. He also enjoyed the parties thrown even though he’d had no plans to settle down despite his family’s insistence that he keep the family name going. It was on one of these trips and parties when he was 28 that changed Jensen’s life forever.

It was in one of the many ballrooms in New Orleans where mother’s brought their eligible daughters to meet proper, rich and handsome bachelors that he ran afoul of one that was much more than she appeared and didn’t take his refusal well.

199 years later he still rued that day, what it had cost him and the hard lessons he’d learned since then because Jensen had quickly learned that as a vampire emotions like love, kindness and caring wouldn’t suit him.

Now he stared down into deep hazel eyes that were staring up at him with an innocence that he’d never had. While begging to be given another chance, to not be sent away before trying to make up for his stupidity, errors, and he felt the same odd buzzing in his head that he had when he felt this boy enter his home.

Jensen would grudgingly admit he pushed the icy cold, hard, uncaring persona he was used to portraying to others a bit too far this time but he really had just been testing his ‘escort’s’ ability to stand up to scrutiny and crudeness since where he’d be taking him there’d be plenty of both.

But he also admitted that he went over the line a little and wasn’t sure why. This wouldn’t be the first hooker off the street Chris had brought him and a look told Jensen that this was where his longtime friend had picked up his ‘escort’.

Normally when in need of a companion for a social function they went to one of the few agencies in town that catered to the needs of his kind but this party had come up at the last second and Jensen was not going without someone on his arm.

His choice for a male companion when he’d always been willing to pretend to be straight for sake of appearances had also been spur of the moment. Now as he took in the tall, well-built but pale faced young man who had no clue that his wild and panicked thoughts could be heard clearly he realized with some shock there was some bigger connection between them it seemed but Jensen was quick to shove those thoughts concerns aside for later on.

“Oh no, you stay put so you don’t fall on that handsome face,” Danneel Harris was usually the one Jensen took to these parties but this time he’d chosen to stop pretending in at least one aspect of his life. She was also the one who took care of making sure Jensen’s image as a spoiled playboy didn’t get too damaged by his inability to choose matching clothes if his life depended on it.

The tall fine boned red head had been preparing clothes for that evening when she’d heard the disturbance and came running just in time to see her newest project she assumed fall into Jensen’s surprised arms while Chris was snarling obscenities like a master.

The woman’s voice had Jared’s eyes blinking until she came into focus to see her calm smile as her hand went flat on his chest to keep him still with a lot more strength than he’d expect from someone her size. “Ma’am,” no matter who or what he was now Jared’s Texas manners still came out when around a woman but then his gaze went right back to bright green ones. “Please…I…I won’t do that again. It’s just that…”

“What’s your name?” Jensen asked suddenly, motioning Danneel to back away so he could sit on the coffee table in front of the sofa that he’d laid Jared out on.

“Jared,” the gravelly voice came from out of Jared’s line of sight but he didn’t look to it; he kept his eyes locked on the handsome face in front of him while steeling himself for whatever punishment he might receive for disappointing him.

Jensen shot his friend a smirk before returning his gaze to the scared boy in front of him. “I didn’t ask you for his name. I asked him for his name,” he took a better look now and gauged him to be in his early 20’s with hair that would be close to shoulder length if it wasn’t a slicked back mess. He could also see the hint of dimples if this boy smiled more than a grin but it was the more obvious fear and too loud thoughts of self-disgust, fear, and self-hate that drew his focus past the rattling he could hear when he tried to calm his breathing. “What’s your name, darlin’?”

“J…Jared,” the answer was soft with a stutter at the unexpected drop from cold and hard back to low and soothing. “I’ll give you my last name if you want.”

“Last names usually aren’t vital in deals like this,” Jensen returned, sighing when he felt something slap him in the head while also catching a slight muscle jerk in Jared’s face that should’ve told him something if he’d been willing to see it. “Most of my escorts don’t pass out like you did or jerk away at my touch. This party is kind of stupid but also important so I need to know you won’t do that again in front of people.”

Jared managed a nod as he made himself sit up and willed his head to stop spinning as his stomach pitched in a way that made him nervous. He knew he was on a very fragile edge right then and didn’t need puking on the client to further screw this night up.

“I’m sorry, Sir,” he murmured, dropping his eyes on instinct as he remembered another of his lessons to never meet a client’s eyes unless ordered to do so. “It won’t happen again. You or they can touch me however and I…huh?” Jared felt firm calloused fingers cup his jaw, lifting it so his eyes would rise. “Sir?”

“Call me Jensen,” Jensen had finally sensed and seen what Chris had been saying earlier about going easy because this one worked for a man rumored to be one of the cruelest pimps in the city.

Jensen knew about cruelty. He knew about masters and the like. He’d been forced to serve one after his human life ended and he was turned into a vampire all because he’d spurned a young woman’s obsessive affection to the point where her mother paid to ruin his life and make him into a toy.

He’d spent more than 20 years a slave before being saved and then learning that life hadn’t gotten any easier in the time that he’d been believed ‘dead’. He also learned to have some of the cold cruelty of his mistress and these days as he closed in on his 200th year as a vampire he realized it was becoming easier to pass fast judgment on those not like him…like this boy.

Too many years alone had turned him jaded. He no longer saw the innocence in things like those that he had once, even after finding his freedom. He saw things in a more black and white way. He also tended to see the dark side of life and the people who lived in this city and beyond the bayous where his ancestral home still stood.

Once he might’ve seen the innocent naivety in this boy’s big dark eyes or the fear in them or how his thoughts were mostly self-hate and fear of being hurt. Now he only saw a young man working the streets for money, selling his body and wondered how he could have so much self-hate or doubt when choosing that style of life.

“Hmm, I’m sure there will be plenty at the party who will want me to share you,” Jensen’s lips curved into a dark smile while his eyes moved down past the collar only to be drawn back to it before pushing to his feet to stalk across the room, away from Jared. “Pity for them. I don’t share what I pay money for. Go with Danneel. She’ll get you changed into something suitable and Dani? Wash his hair. I want it loose like it should be.”

“Right, Jensen,” the young woman replied with a calm supportive smile to a clearly uneasy Jared. “He’s not always this big of a jackass, sweetie. He just doesn’t like being made to go to a party held by a man he hates, so I fear you’ll be bearing the brunt of his temper tonight…unless Chris forgets himself and puts him through a wall.”

Jared had a hard time keeping his eyes from following the lean body as it stalked out of the room, closely followed by the black haired guy who’d picked him up. “Oh…that’s fine, ma’am. I’m…used to taking the brunt of people’s tempers. It’s a part of my job I guess you could say.”

Danneel nearly tripped when she heard this spoken so matter of factly and had to be quick to keep her smile in place while motioning the still unsteady young man to follow her. ‘ _Damn you, Jensen!_ ’ she thought sternly because she knew it would be picked up easily enough. ‘ _Don’t be such a bastard to this kid._ ’

Jensen stepped into his office after leaving the room, seeing a crisp white silk shirt had been laid out over his chair along with a matching jacket and tie. He winced at the sharp voice in his head, ignoring it. It wasn’t so easy to ignore the brooding man behind him. “I needed to see if he could handle himself among the jackals that I’m sure will be there tonight. If he fucks up I’m taking his fee out of your ass, Kane,” he growled in a much harder voice.

“I can send Chad back out to find someone else if you’re sure this hooker won’t work for whatever twisted thing you might be planning for later,” Chris Kane leaned against the desk to watch Jensen change while keeping an ear out in case Danneel needed any help. “I didn’t notice that he might be sick. I can ditch him with a portion of the fee since it’s plain he wasn’t fully upfront with me and…”

“It sounds like he had pneumonia or bronchitis recently and hasn’t gotten over it yet. He’s not contagious to any of the human guests so leave him,” Jensen debated on the tie because he hated to wear anything around his neck but knew Danneel would bitch if he wasn’t in full fancy attire. “Find out for sure if he’s one of Morgan’s studs or what the street knows about him.”

Chris poured a drink from a bottle on the desk while lifting a curious brow. “Why?” he asked, holding out the glass and pouring himself one. “You don’t usually use the same escort twice. In fact, that’s a rule with you. You don’t play with the same toy twice.”

“Because I said to find out and it’s my rule if I happen to want to break it…depending on how good he is tonight,” Jensen left the jacket off while sliding his gold watch and the signet ring that had been a gift many years ago from a powerful witch onto his finger. “Morgan’s an ass but I also don’t want too much involvement with him. He turns my stomach.”

“Another reason to make this a onetime thing then,” Chris returned with a frown as his friend merely looked at him. “Damn it, Jensen. Just cause he’s off the street doesn’t mean you can play these damn games. Didn’t I tell you about snap judgments years ago? One of these damn times you’re gonna look down on someone, judge them and then feel like an ass when it turns out you’re wrong. You’re turning colder again and that’s not good.”

“Maybe it’s because all I see is pettiness and lies in the world these days,” Jensen knew he was jaded and sarcastic, he knew what others including his friends thought of him but he’d stopped caring a few decades ago about others opinions. “Nothing has changed since I was human, Chris. It’s all lies, users and greed. There are those who choose to be what that boy out there is and…”

“Like you chose it for 20 years?” Chris challenged quietly, lifting his head to allow the fangs he’d kept hidden all night to show when he felt Jensen’s temper surge to the surface but knew he was touching on a volatile subject. “Yes, there are plenty on the streets who chose the life but then there are those who maybe didn’t have a choice.

“Before you judge, before you hurt the kid, you better make damn sure which one he is. If you don’t and it turns out you’re wrong we both know there’s still enough of the man I pulled out of hell one night that will hate yourself if you do something stupid,” he cocked his head as a knock was heard on the door. “Yeah?”

Danneel poked her head in with a smile. “Your ‘date’ is ready if you want to come and inspect him so I can change or add anything,” she shot Jensen a look as if making sure he looked presentable and then pinned him with a searing look of warning. “Be nice!” she hissed as he moved to go past her.

Jensen rolled his eyes. He stepped out with every intention of being cool and disinterested, keeping this night plainly business he stopped in mid-step to see that Danneel had put Jared in a pair of black slacks that fit him perfectly, a cream colored silk shirt open at the throat with a matching black jacket that did nothing to hide wide shoulders.

The too tight hooker clothes had caught Jensen’s eye easily but seeing the young man in decent clothes that not only fit him as if made for him; made him have to swallow and refocus his thoughts a moment past brief ones on just what this kid looked like without the clothes.

“Oh!” Jared had been sitting on the very edge of the sofa to wait for his host, tense and unsure since he didn’t want to wrinkle the too fine clothes. He sensed the intense gaze a second before he looked up and instantly shot to his feet to run a hand through his freshly washed, dried and styled dark hair in a nervous gesture. “Sir…I mean…”

“Jensen,” Jensen caught the nervous little habits that Jared had and wondered why he was so uneasy. He stepped closer to take a better look, motioning him to turn around so he could view the full picture of solid 6’4” male and once again reminded himself how long it had been since he’d allowed himself the pleasure of physical companionship in more than a warm body on his arm.

Now with the oil out of it Jared’s hair was hanging soft and loose to nearly his shoulders. It had been neatly trimmed but still bits of it tended to fall into his eyes as he messed with it nervously. The clothes felt odd on him since he wasn’t used to wearing silk or expensive material and he was nervous that he’d spill something on them or get the shiny black dress shoes dusty.

As he stood still to allow his host to inspect him, Jared worked to not fidget or move; standing still to prove that his earlier mistake had just been a onetime thing.

There was something about those brilliant green eyes that just pulled at him. They took his breath away and made him almost wish he was more in Jensen’s league or that they’d met somewhere else; that Jared wasn’t a simple whore bought and paid for but he’d given up those dreams long ago and knew his place.

“Keep your eyes up,” Jensen noticed when Jared went into his own head too far that he tended to drop his eyes or lower his head and that made him wonder things that he really shouldn’t have cared to know. “Before we go, I need to know your rules.”

“My…rules?” Jared repeated, keeping his voice softly respectable but it was clear that he was confused even before his brow knitted as Jensen turned back from slipping into the suit jacket.

“Yeah, the set of rules of what you will or won’t do,” Jensen nodded as if it should’ve been plain. “I need to know so there won’t be any issues when we’re with people. So? What are they?”

Jared stared at him blankly, certain he was being set up for failure but finally had to shake his head. “I…I don’t have any of those,” he replied, nearly shirking back as those eyes shot up to his. “I…I mean…I do whatever you or anyone who you allow to touch me tell me to do. That’s my job…Sir…Jensen.”

Jensen was sure his sensitive hearing was off. He couldn’t have just heard what he thought he had when he did hear Danneel’s voice in his head using some very unfriendly terms for the bastard who’d done this to Jared. “You…just do what anyone tells you?” he wasn’t sure if that scared him or made his opinion drop even further when Chris’s words came into his head and he held off judging. “Why?”

“It’s what you pay me for,” Jared replied solemnly as if it was the only answer he knew. “It’s what…I mean…never mind.”

“Tell me,” Jensen stepped closer but not close enough that Jared might feel threatened. “Jared. Tell me what you almost said.”

“I…I can’t,” Jared’s chin started to lower until firm fingers cut it again. “Mr. Morgan…he said to keep my mouth shut unless I’m using it for sex. I’m not supposed to talk unless…”

“If I say I want to have a conversation with you, would you talk then?” Jensen really was getting pissed off with Jeffrey Dean Morgan the more he heard the man’s name that night. “You said you have no rules but yet you’re not allowed to talk. Isn’t that a rule?”

Jared’s eyes widened as his heart picked up in his fear of making another mistake. “I meant I have no rules. That’s one of Mr. Morgan’s rules. I’m not allowed to have rules cause I’m nothing but your…”

“Okay, let’s get a move on before you’re late,” Chris stepped out just in time to stop Jensen’s temper from coming out; plain by the man’s warning look that he’d known it was time to interrupt.

‘ _Find out all you can about Morgan’s operation_ ,’ Jensen spoke mentally to Danneel while watching Jared from the corner of his eye. ‘ _This kid’s practically half in sub-space without even knowing it. I want to know about how he treats his people, cause this one either fell through the cracks or something’s not right_.’

Jensen waited until he was seated in the back of the limo to speak again. He cracked open a small bottle of private water since he’d fed earlier and held one out to Jared who took it with nervous fingers. “Fine, since you don’t have any rules then we’ll have to work by mine and go from there,” he sipped while watching the tense way Jared held himself and realized the kid was nervous about wrinkling the clothes or the soft leather seats of the limo. “Jared, relax. I need you to be relaxed for this party or else there are people there who will gladly eat you alive.”

“Literally,” Chad Michael Murray could be heard muttering from behind the wheel, hissing when a hard elbow was driven into his ribs.

Jared knew he was out of his depths this time. He needed this money but he didn’t want to fail or embarrass Jensen either. He was about to say that this was a mistake when he was pushed back against the soft seat to feel fingers on the back of his neck, kneading tight muscles.

“You’ll be fine,” Jensen assured him as if hearing his thoughts when Jared was sure he hadn’t spoken his doubts out loud. Then he was too busy trying to ignore the warmth spreading through him from just this casual touch. “This is a standard party. A lot of rich, arrogant assholes looking to suck up to me for one reason or another and they’ll see you as the arm candy that Chris hired you to be.

“All you need to do to is stay beside me or Chris and you’ll be fine. You don’t have to talk to anyone and if anyone touches you Chris or Chad will be right there to break their fingers because so long as you’re with you then you’re mine and like I said before I don’t like to share,” he continued to squeeze the back of Jared’s night, touching above the choker collar that he seriously now hated to see around soft skin. “The rules you need to follow are simple. Do what I say, when I say. Okay?”

“I can do that,” Jared nodded, surprised to feel himself relaxing more. “I promise I follow orders really well.”

Jensen took in the long lashes that touched Jared’s cheek as his eyes drifted closed under his hand, feeling his heart rate slowing down slightly. “I might want to kiss you either at the party or later on. May I?”

“I’m paid to do whatever you say,” Jared nodded, voice dropping softly as if in a trance; body relaxing back into the seat. “I don’t fight back anymore. Can’t afford to have one of Mr. Morgan’s men hurt me again for fighting back but…I hate not being able to breathe so I got scared.”

“What the hell are you doing?” Chris had dropped the divider and was staring only to frown at the tight way Jensen’s jaw was clenching. “Jensen?”

“Someone choked you but you were hurt for fighting back?” Jensen asked, letting his tone go to the lower one that tended to show more of his natural Louisiana accent. “Jared? Are there any rules placed on the men or women Morgan lets you work for?” he asked curiously, ignoring Chris’s questions to focus on keeping his power low. “Can you safe word out if you need to?”

“Safe word?” Jared sounded confused but it was enough of an answer for all three vampires in the car to realize this boy had no clue what he was doing and was mainly being used. “They fuck me, I take it and if I’m good enough I might have heat and water for another week. If I’m good enough for you and make the full amount it’ll get him off my back for missing my quota the past week or so when I was…sick and he won’t make me…”

Suddenly Jared’s body tensed and he shuddered under Jensen’s hand until a soft voice whispered lowly to relax and sleep for a moment.

“Holy shit,” Chad Michael Murray whistled lowly as he listened in, shooting his boss a startled look from the rearview mirror. “I’d heard Morgan was a bastard but this…this kid’s got no damn clue what he’d doing or what he shouldn’t be doing or letting happen to him.”

“Yeah, it sounds like he really chose this life,” Chris shot Jensen a look that was returned coldly. “What the hell were you doing that brought this up?” he asked, amazed at how easy Jared went under to Jensen’s hypnotic tone. “You don’t usually use the parlor tricks this early unless one of them sees what you are.”

“He’s an open book. Any vampire in the club will be able to read him and possibly get into his head,” Jensen shrugged, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I meant when I said that I don’t like to share so that also means no one touches his thoughts either.”

The two vampires in the front seat exchanged looks and smirks but kept their opinions to themselves.

Jared stirred at the voice calling his name and his eyes shot open, fear plain on his face as well as horror that he must had drifted off. “I’m…” he started to say when a finger touched his lips.

“It’s all good, _cher_ ,” Jensen’s voice had a soft combination of an accent that instantly relaxed Jared as he nodded in return. “We’re here. Just stay beside me.”

“I will,” Jared replied, getting out of the car after Jensen nodded for him to once Chris opened the door and saw they were at one of the local clubs deep in the French Quarter.

He’d walked by this place plenty of times in the daytime but had never seen it open. Now it was lit up and very loud; he willed his still sensitive head not to ache too much from the music and voices that were already echoing in his skull.

‘ _Tell Mike to turn the music down to a manageable level_ ,’ Jensen told Chad silently after noticing the flash of pain on his companion’s face. ‘ _And tell him to play something I like and not that crap_.’

The blond nodded and vanished into the crowd of people while Chris stepped up close behind Jensen as they entered the club.

This club was one that Jensen owned but didn’t come to often unless he was really bored or he wanted to shock the shit out of people…like he planned to do tonight by showing up with a male companion.

The moment they stepped inside he knew they had the attention of nearly everyone inside. He also knew when Jared tensed that he should’ve told the kid the type of club this was. “Been to many clubs like this, Jared?” he asked, tone reverting back to the harder and cold one of earlier as he took Jared by the hand to lead him through the packed crowd that instantly parted to give him space to move.

“A…a few times,” Jared replied but it was the shake that suggested that those times either hadn’t been by his choosing or the time hadn’t been too enjoyable. “I’ll follow your orders, sir.”

Chris’s blue eyes were electric when they moved to see the slightest change in Jared’s body language. He was about to catch Jensen’s eye to warn him but could see his friend had already seen it and was swiftly moving them through the throng of people to a private table set in the back; away from the dance floor or the stage with some obviously pre-staged bondage scene was taking place.

“Look at me, Jared,” Jensen nudged Jared into the booth before slipping in beside him while Chris looked around to see if he could find the person responsible for this party in the first place. “You are only here to look good on my arm and nothing else. _If_ I choose to do anything with you it will be after we leave here and in the privacy of the car or my home. Not here, not in front of people and not like this.”

“Had worse done,” Jared muttered without realizing it, not sure why when Jensen’s voice took that one tone it was like his body just relaxed fully. “Hate weekends.”

Jensen was quickly realizing he wanted to learn more about this young man if only to unravel what made this mortal tick when a sudden rush of thoughts hit him and he had to force down the instinctive snarl that came to his lips.

“Hello boys.”

The accented voice never failed to make Jensen’s nerves stretch. Of all the people, human or vampire, in the Big Easy that he dealt with this one usually made his skin crawl.

Mark Sheppard was a transplant to the city. He’d come from England sometime after the Civil War and stayed despite the often violent turf wars with other vampires as well as humans. He co-owned this club even though his percentage was very small it was enough to make him a pain in Jensen’s ass most times.

“Please let me gut the little prick,” Chris muttered under his breath.

“Not in public or at least not inside the club,” Jensen returned while keeping one hand on the back of Jared’s neck even as he shifted his gaze up to see the rather short man with thinning hair in a dark suit approaching the private table. “Sheppard,” he greeted in a much cooler tone. “You didn’t mention on the phone there’d be entertainment.”

Jensen didn’t mind the D/s or bondage scene. His other club dabbled in it but this one, given Mark Sheppard managed it, was heavier into it and not always in the right ways as Jensen’s ears picked up certain things that he knew before the night was over would be stopped by the hand of one of his other associates who were in the crowd.

“Well I figured it was only right to have some fun going on to liven up what’s usually a boring time if you’re around,” the man stepped closer to table to eye Jared with interest, a little too much it seemed as Chris cleared his throat in warning. “So…finally decided to come out of the proverbial tomb so to speak?” he asked with a slick smile as he continued to run his eyes over the young man with Jensen. “A human? Interesting choice; maybe you’d like to share?”

“Or maybe you’d like to see me let Chris or Mike tear your throat out?” Jensen returned with a tight smile, nodding to the waitress who brought drinks. “You know I never share and especially not my dates.”

“Always a first time, Jensen,” Sheppard smirked and went to reach a hand out to touch Jared only to stop at the feel of a sharp dagger that pressed against his side. “Your lapdog’s got a blade in my club?”

“It’s my club that you happen to own 20 percent of and manage at my whim,” Jensen corrected, seeing Jared had tensed at the near touch but hadn’t jerked but also noticing that Chris had moved with the same speed he would’ve if Jensen himself had been threatened. “You don’t touch. No one in this club touches him or else you won’t like the result.”

Sheppard merely nodded his head slightly. “Well, I’ll leave you to him then. I hope you enjoy the party. Feel free to partake of the…snacks as well.”

“What the hell is he doing?” Chris demanded, eyes roaming the room to begin to catch little things here and there that were amping up his concern. “Jensen?”

Jensen’s eyes were just starting to notice the servers in the room, all young men and woman…also all human, seemed dazed and set on automatic. “Oh my God,” he breathed even as he shot a look next to him as Jared went rigid beside him. “Tell Mike to shut the music off! He’s using the music to turn the human’s into willing little sex slaves. That’s what this is. He wanted me here to see that he’s finally turned my club into a goddamn sex pit where the locals are a food source.”

Jared had been looking around him while feeling cold little tingles running along his head. He was just being pulled deeper when suddenly strong fingers gripping his seemed to pull him back. “Jensen?” he blinked in open confusion, not understanding why he was suddenly so tired when it felt like someone was stroking the inside of his thigh and he jumped. “I’m…I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to do that. Wasn’t expecting…”

“Chris! Find Sheppard and bring him to my office!” Jensen had felt the intrusion in Jared’s mind the second it happened. He also felt the unwarranted touch which was the reason the boy had jumped. “Jared, come with me,” he had his companion on his feet and moving toward the back of the club even before it could be registered. “Chad! Shut this place down and clear it out!”

Both vampires were moving while another trailed after Jensen as he muscled Jared into a private office where the sound of the music was shut off, fingers tight when he suddenly grabbed the boy as his legs weakened. “Easy, _cher_. I’ve got you,” he murmured lowly, sitting beside Jared on a leather sofa and could instantly read his fear of disappointing him or failing. “Shhh, no. You haven’t done anything wrong. I just wanted us out of the main room for a minute.”

“I didn’t mean to jump. I didn’t see you move and it felt…wrong and…I’m talking too much…” Jared knew he’d be lucky to make any money from this job the way it was going. “Please, I won’t ruin your party. You can even do…that stuff to me and I…I…I’ll be good. I…I was trained. Jeff…Mr. Morgan said I’m not good at it cause I…”

“Cause you get scared?” Jensen could see flashes of memory from Jared’s thought even without trying and that shocked him since normally he had no trouble controlling his powers but it seemed like Jared was projecting the thoughts without even knowing it.

“I…he and his friend said I don’t understand who’s in control when they use me like that. That there is no stopping until the master in control decides to let me go,” Jared’s eyes dropped to stare at his hands rather than the stunning man beside him; missing the flash of heat as well as power in Jensen’s eyes. “But I’m trying to learn. If you want me to, to do what you want here, out there on the stage you can…”

As it sank in more what was being said by this innocent boy, a boy that Jensen suddenly began to realize he might’ve misjudged badly, the more he was determined to find out just what was going on in Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s little empire of ‘escorts’.

“If I want to play with you like that I’ll do it in the privacy of my bedroom back home, little one,” Jensen gave a slow smile that was a little softer than his earlier ones while letting his fingers comb back through dark hair; not expecting the sudden rush of emotions that he slowly began to realize wasn’t all his.

Before he could explore that or try to coax Jared into going with Matt Cohen in order to get him out of the office the door slammed open to allow an irate Mark Sheppard to storm in a step ahead of Chris Kane.

“What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing?” he demanded. “Your trained apes are ruining my club night and ugh!”

Before he’d gotten close to the sofa Chris had the smaller man against the wall, holding him easily with a hand to his throat.

“And it won’t take much for this trained ape to rip your spleen out through your nose if you get in Jensen’s face again, little man,” Chris might have been just a little taller than Sheppard but he was far older than even Jensen so it was that power he drew his strength from now.

Jensen sighed. He glanced next to him to see Jared watching the near violence with big eyes but suspected it was more the ease in which Chris had moved that had surprised him. “Jared? I want you to go wait for me out in the car with Chad.”

“What about your party?” Jared had felt a sudden change in the room but wasn’t sure if he’d done something wrong or…

“No, darlin’, you didn’t do anything wrong and I’m still going to need your services but just not in here for the moment,” Jensen offered a reassuring touch to the back of Jared’s neck before nodding to Chad who’d appeared in the door to take the young man out to the car.

It didn’t occur to Jared yet that he hadn’t spoken his concern and yet Jensen had picked up on it. He just nodded and followed the cheerful blond guy out the back door of the club.

The moment Jared was clear, Jensen’s eyes flashed dangerously and he had Sheppard by the throat, fangs out in his fury. “I’ve told you before that you will not turn this club into a feeding ground for either sex or blood,” he snarled. “I also told you that at no time would any mortal employed at my club ever be influenced either by drug or magic or power and…” he squeezed the blustering man’s throat hard. “…I said none of them would ever be used as snacks!”

“Bloody hell, get with the program and see you’ve got a gold mine in this place every night!” Sheppard knew enough not to fight back since Jensen’s strength was enough to outmatch him but with Kane and also Matt Cohen close he was outnumbered. “There are vamps in this city who like a little sport and we could…ugh!”

“Not in my club,” Jensen stressed, stepping back to let the other vampire fall. “You have 24 hours to fix this. On the 25th, if I still hear about this crap you’d better be out of my city or else Kane gets a green light to end your miserable life.”

Coughing, Sheppard pulled himself to his feet while straightening his tie. “Do you think JD Morgan will like that one of his whores is fucking a bloody vampire?” he sneered with a low chuckle. “Cute kid. Pity from what I hear good old JD is grooming him for one of his S&M farms cause he’s too stupid to learn the ropes here in the city and…”

“Jensen!” Chris wedged himself in between Jensen and the other vampire when he caught the flash that meant his friend was about to draw blood.

“You keep your goddamn mouth shut about him!” Jensen wasn’t sure where the surge of rage had come from or even why but he let Chris shove him back. “You deal with this!”

“Jensen, keep your temper if you’re planning on doing anything with Jared!” Chris warned sternly. “Remember your strength isn’t human and he is!”

Jensen chose to ignore that warning as he stormed out of the building while trying to settle his nerves so his fangs were back before getting into the limo. He felt Jared’s own nerves and worry as he opened the door to see Chad leaning in the open divider talking to a clearly uneasy young man.

“Back home or someplace else, boss?” he asked easily, shooting Jared a wink while starting the car. “The night’s young.”

“Home,” Jensen returned tightly, hearing the roughness in his voice and trying to calm down while looking across from him. “Sorry. Sheppard’s an ass. I should’ve known his idea of a ‘party’ would just be an attempt to goad me into a fight.”

“Why…do you let him run your club then?” Jared asked without thinking, quickly trying to counter that with an apology when deep glittering green eyes landed on him. “I’m sorry. I need to learn to shut up. I think that’s why so many of the johns I get gag…I mean…forget it.”

Jensen heard Chad’s fingers tighten on the wheel and understood his friend had heard the comment as well. “You’re not too good at the not conversing thing, are you?” he asked lightly, quickly moving to sit beside Jared to stop him from closing down as he made him see he was teasing. “No, don’t stop now, little one. I like to hear you talk. Most people don’t say what they think or at least not around me. I seem to be scary or something. Right, Chad?”

“Scary? Not so much,” Chad replied while rolling up the divider, adding before it was closed all the way. “You just don’t take opinions that aren’t yours well, boss. Oh and hey? I told the kid you didn’t bite on the first date. Don’t make a liar outta me.”

“Shut up and drive,” Jensen muttered and realized his temper at Mark Sheppard was causing his emotions to be much higher than normal; much higher than was safe for him to consider going too far without risking losing control and possibly hurting this boy.

He knew he should send him home. He knew the safest thing would be for Chad to drive Jared far away from him but as he watched nervous fingers play with the buttons on the suit jacket while Jared chewed on his lower lip Jensen suddenly found himself longing to touch and taste.

“You said you have no rules to play by,” he suddenly spoke, reaching up to work on the knot of his tie as he shed his suit jacket. “That you did and would do whatever I said.”

“Yes,” Jared nodded, his voice was soft but he did lift his head because this was finally something he understood. Sex was what he did and could do. “Since I wasn’t much of an escort I figure you can knock that price he quoted in thirds for just sex or…whatever you want me to do for you or whatever you want to do to me.”

“Hmm, so many possibilities,” Jensen murmured, his voice taking on the drawling tone that never failed to make Jared’s heart speed up even though he knew it shouldn’t. “So many things I’d like to do to you or for you.”

Jared nodded and began to lose himself to the numbness he’d learned to put himself in when knowing rough sex was close at hand. “Anything you want,” he agreed, settling back in the seat with his hands at his sides to watch Jensen. “Here or…when we get back there.”

“Oh, I plan to start here, darlin’,” Jensen’s lips curved into a slow sinful smile as he moved closer to run his hands over Jared’s chest before his lips traced the line along Jared’s throat. “Tell me if you like this.”

“It’s what you like that’s important,” Jared replied without thinking, unaware of when his head fell back to the seat as hot lips skimmed his throat and he gasped as he felt teeth lightly raking over it. “You pay me to enjoy yourself with my body.”

“Yeah, but you get some enjoyment out of it too,” Jensen replied but then stopped what he was doing when he felt a blankness come over Jared, leaning back to see that same blankness reflected on his handsome face. “Jared? Don’t you get enjoyment out of the sex?”

Jared thought he might if Jensen had kept up what he was doing but he knew that was a huge rule infraction. He also knew he needed to get his client off the topic but before he could Jensen’s hand was on his face, keeping him from looking away. “Please…” he whispered, fear plain.

“Do you get enjoyment?” Jensen demanded, not liking the uneasy way Jared was watching him. “If we have sex, if I make you come will you enjoy it?”

“Why would you do that?” Jared asked without thinking. This guy was totally confusing him because he wasn’t doing anything the right way. “My job is making you come. My job is to let you fuck me however you want so you get off. Pain, blood, whips, chains…my job is…”

Jensen stared into plaintive eyes and was shocked to realize that this is what Jared believed. This is what he’d been trained to do or told to do. It had been many decades since Jensen could say he was shocked speechless but this time he was.

“Oh sweetheart, you have no idea how wrong you are about so many things,” he murmured, fingers suddenly gentle as they carded back through soft hair. “Will you do something for me, sweet Jared?”

This change in Jensen was confusing to Jared. He wasn’t sure what had changed from earlier that night when Jensen had been practically undressing him with his eyes to this softer side that was telling him things that he knew could get him beat or punished if Jeff Morgan learned of it.

But he couldn’t refuse if Jensen told him to do something so he slowly nodded. “I have to,” he replied as if that should explain it all.

“Okay, fair enough,” Jensen thought he could do it that way. When he’d first seen this boy he thought he could have mindless sex but now as he took in what he thought might be happening he was thinking that it might not be as simple. “Before we do anything though I guess I should ask you something.”

“Oh, I’m clean. The guys who fuck me always use rubbers or…” he stopped at the shake of a head. “What then?”

Jensen ran his tongue over his teeth, feeling the extra ones that hadn’t fully receded from his temper earlier. “Have you ever had sex with a vampire?” he asked, breaking one of his main rules and would ask himself why later on.

“I’ve had it with plenty of people who think they’re vampires,” Jared gave a tiny grin. “I live in New Orleans. Everyone thinks they’re vampires.”

“True and then every so often you might come across someone who really is,” Jensen let Jared see the fangs as they came out fully and then waited to see the reaction he got from this revelation.

**TB**


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some explicit content in this one as well as mention of past violence or abuse.

**Eternal Love**

**Chapter Three**

There had only been one time in his nearly 200 years of existence that Jensen Ackles had revealed his true side to another, and to say that it hadn’t went well would be an understatement. The choice to do it now, to do it with a young man who was basically a hooker off the streets was a huge step and also could be a huge mistake.

Jensen had felt the car swerve a little as if the driver had heard or felt something, and he was sure Chad had, but it was the reaction of the now frozen Jared that held his focus; he was waiting to see if panic, horror, or disgust would win out as the first reaction to him showing his fangs.

Jared Padalecki had dealt with some weird people since coming to the Big Easy and finding himself trapped in a life that he hated. He’d handled people with some weird ass and sick as hell scenarios in their heads when they got him for sex, and he’d figured that was where Jensen was going when he asked him if he’d ever had sex with a vampire.

Since the young man from Texas knew he’d screwed up with this guy so much already, knew he was lucky to not have been tossed back onto the street after his first mistake, he’d been prepared to do whatever Jensen wanted; that was his primary job after all. Then he saw him smile; he watched the fangs come out from a mouth with perfect teeth, and suddenly he knew this wasn’t faked.

Of course he’d heard the whispered rumors on the streets. Gen and a few of the others had told him there were real vampires living in New Orleans, but he’d never seen any…at least he hadn’t up until this moment. He’d been with Jensen for a few hours now and it hadn’t ever occurred to him that the man was anything but human. Now he wasn’t sure what to think.

Common sense told him to be scared out of his mind. Common sense and too much time watching horror movies or reading books told him to be terrified, that he was probably going to wind up dead before the night ended, but amazingly that wasn’t what Jared felt as he sat up a little to stare at the now rescinding teeth.

“So…” He took a slow breath and decided to start again. “When Chad said you didn’t bite on the first date…he meant that literally?”

Jensen blinked at the same time as he heard a choked snort from the front of the car. “Chad was being a smartass when he said that.” He moved back a little to give Jared space; he was taken a little off guard because the boy wasn’t screaming in terror yet or trying to put more space between them. “I don’t bite my dates as a general rule anyway. Of course I don’t tell them what I am either.”

“How do you eat if you don’t bite?” Jared asked before thinking the question through. He was curious about that but he reconsidered his question at the look of surprise on Jensen’s face and the way the car swerved a little as if its driver was having a hard time concentrating on the road. “Wait…maybe I don’t want to know that after all. I mean it’s cool if you do…or you want to. Hell, I’ve been bitten by non-real vampires so…”

“Jared?” Jensen had to interrupt before he did something he’d regret or Chad wrecked the damn limo. “Are you okay?” he asked with surprisingly true concern; perhaps the boy was still feeling the effects of the music from the club or the touch of whoever had tried to mentally attack him.

“Yeah, I mean, yes sir.” Jared’s voice dropped in fear that he’d messed up again. “I…I talk too much. That’s why the rule is…”

“Unless that’s a rule you personally have, I don’t care about it.” Jensen no longer liked Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s rules and planned to tell the man that very soon. “And it seems like we’re going to have to sit down and help you make up some cause you are too vulnerable out there without any.”

“I’m not allowed to have personal rules though,” Jared told him, fear of his employer spiking until fingers stroked over his cheek and he calmed down again. “Can I ask something?”

‘ _Here we go_ ,’ Chad’s voice spoke in Jensen’s head. ‘ _Kid’s going to freak sooner or later, boss._ ’

Jensen knew that so he merely nodded, waiting for whatever would come next while deciding that he might be calling in other favors to see just what was going on in J.D. Morgan Escort Services. “Go ahead.”

“How old are you really?” Jared had thought his host was probably in his mid to late 20’s, but now he wasn’t sure. “I mean, not that it matters but…I’m…never mind. I’m stupid.”

“Tell me what you were about to say.” Jensen no longer thought Jared’s habit of looking down on himself was normal mortal behavior; he had never sensed this lack of self-esteem in any other human. He was sensing that this handsome boy’s head had filled with lies and that he believed every negative thing. “You’re what?”

“Curious,” Jared answered and was unaware of when his cheeks blushed slightly. “You look…” He again cut himself off with a frown, fingers clenching. “Jensen, please tell me to do something so I stop talking and doing stuff wrong. I want to earn some money tonight, but if I make you angry or you…”

“Oh, you’re going to earn some money very soon, little one.” Jensen wasn’t sure why that settled on his stomach in a sour way, but he pushed the thought away for the moment so he could lift Jared’s face back up with his palm. “You want to know my age? Out of everything you could’ve asked me or done this is not what I was expecting. You surprise me, Jared.”

Jared swallowed, worried that this was a bad thing; he felt the car slow down and guessed they were close to the townhouse. “I’m sorry.”

“Y’know, most people in your position, learning they were with a vampire, would probably be screaming or trying to escape…or at the very least showing some kind of fear. You’re not. Why? I mean, I’ve already scared you tonight. Why aren’t you acting afraid?” Jensen finally had to ask. He needed to know why out of everything else that he’d done to scare Jared, even without meaning to, what should’ve terrified him didn’t make him bat an eye. “Speak freely.”

Jared considered the question briefly. He’d known he should be naturally afraid given the risks and what he’d seen in movies but, in all honesty, he wasn’t. “I’ve been afraid nearly every day since I was five years old and my Momma died. I’m afraid every hour I’m awake and even when I sleep now. I never know what type of pain I’ll endure either from a john or Mr. Morgan if I piss him off…so being here with you, learning that you’re a vampire who could very easily rip my throat out? That actually doesn’t scare me like it might other people.” He looked down at his hands rather than at the intense green eyes staring at him.

“Sex with a vampire can’t be any worse than some of the guys who pick me up or the guys he lets have me at his parties. I’ll still do what you say, and I won’t ever tell anyone what you’ve told me even though I’m supposed to report everything I learn about everyone so he’ll know if it’s someone he can blackmail later on. I’ll lie as best as I can for you and take the punishment if he finds out.” Jared lifted his eyes as the car stopped. “I’m sorry that you got saddled with such a bad whore tonight, but I really will do my best to make you happy at least with the sex.”

Of all the things that Jensen might’ve been expecting to hear from this boy’s mouth that was not anywhere close to it, and he was honestly stunned by his inner reaction to it even if his face didn’t reflect the true anger he felt at hearing such pain, and acceptance of that pain, in the soft voice.

‘ _Chad?_ ’ he spoke silently while slowly reaching a hand out to take one of the ones clenched on Jared’s lap.

‘ _Yeah, I’m on it_.’ Chad Michael Murray was less than 75 years old as a vampire and still mainly acted like he had as a human but he had a rare serious side. It was that side that came out now as he’d listened silently to what was going in the rear of the limo. ‘ _I’ll call some people we know in Vice and also get Hartley’s ass on learning more about this kid. You keepin’ him for the night_?’

The slight inclination of his boss’s head gave the answer as Chad opened the rear door to the limo to allow Jensen to step out, holding a hand out to a quiet Jared.

“Lose yourself for the night,” Jensen ordered, feeling the slight unsteady beat to Jared’s pulse to tell he might not be scared of him being a vampire, but he also wasn’t as calm or confident as he tried to make out like he was either. “Tell Chris and Danneel not to disturb us. Have breakfast for him in the morning and make sure you or Chris drive him home. No one else.”

Chad shot him a thumbs up as Jared stepped from the car, automatically taking the hand offered to him. “I can just take a cab home when you’re done with me,” he spoke up, adding quickly when two sets of eyes pinned him. “I mean, I don’t wanna be any trouble…wait…are Chad and Chris…don’t you guys go poof in sunlight?”

“I love this kid, boss,” Chad laughed and even Jensen’s lips curled into a more amused smile at the stereotypical beliefs from too many bad horror movies. “Yeah, Chris and I are but while direct sun hurts like hell, and we really prefer to avoid it, we can go out in sunlight without going poof.” He couldn’t wait to share that one with Chris Kane while offering a wink. “Most of what you see on the screen or in books doesn’t apply, Jared. Now the whole blood thing? That’s another…”

Jensen shot his friend a look that let him know he was saying too much as Jared paled. “Good night, Chad,” he said in a way that clearly meant it was time to shut up. “Come with me, Jared?”

“Oh, yeah, of course.” Jared silently cursed himself for getting too curious again when he was on the clock. He took a step toward the entrance he’d used earlier only to frown as Jensen led him across the inner courtyard to a much fancier looking section of the old townhouse. “Jensen?”

“This section is my home; this is where I live and work.” Jensen opened the door to lead the confused young man inside. “The part where Chris took you earlier is more of a guest side. I rarely bring…people here.” He was quick to adjust his word but caught the way Jared tensed as if understanding that meant Jensen never brought whores to his real home.

“Why bring me then?” Jared asked while wondering why the hell he couldn’t seem to keep his mouth shut tonight. “I’m sure Chris has brought you better hookers than me…at least ones who knew when to shut up.”

Looking back with a slow smile that lightened his eyes, Jensen led him up a set of spiral stairs to where the main rooms were located. “Good question. I really can’t say why I decided to bring you here, or why I even told you what I am because I normally don’t do either.” He noticed that someone had turned on a few lamps to lead the way and guessed that would’ve been Danneel and for Jared’s sake since Jensen’s eyes didn’t need them to see in the dark. “You also asked me earlier how old I was. I turned 199 this past March. Too old for you, little one?”

“You’re…” Jared almost tripped, eyes going wide as he looked harder at Jensen. “You look really good for your age! Oh god, I can’t believe I just said that,” he groaned in dismay. “I’m so…”

“You apologize too much,” Jensen remarked as he suddenly turned to push Jared back against a wall in the hallway that lead to his private rooms; he stepped close enough that their chests touched and watched hazel eyes widen just slightly as the young man’s breathing started to quicken. “Scared, baby?”

Scared of Jensen being a vampire? Surprisingly, no. Scared of the usual violence that sex seemed to bring? Absolutely, but Jared knew enough after so long to hide that. “No,” he said only to gasp when strong fingers gripped his jaw to keep him from looking away.

“Liar,” Jensen whispered, sensing the boy’s fear, but he could tell the fear wasn’t of him but what he thought was coming. “A vampire can smell fear, Jared. We have much sharper senses than mortals, so I can sense you’re scared…but not of me. What are you scared of?”

“I told you; I live with fear. People scare me all the time, but I figure if you wanted to hurt me or…eat me then you would’ve already.” Jared wasn’t aware that his hands had moved to Jensen’s slender waist as he had to work hard on keeping his focus on his job and off of how easy it would be to break the number one rule in Jeff Morgan’s book. “I’ve slipped out of the mindset I use when working the streets that keeps me prepared for the pain or shock, but I can get it back if you…wow!”

Jared’s eyes went wide as he was moved away from the wall and into a huge bedroom that he knew had to cost more than he’d see in three lifetimes.

The master bedroom was almost as big as his whole apartment. The floor was covered in a thick plush carpet while the walls were painted a deep maroon with many pieces of art on them. There was a fireplace as well as what looked to be a sitting section, but what caught his full attention was the huge four poster bed made of solid mahogany wood and covered in deep rich colors.

“This…this is your room?” He glanced over to see Jensen watching him with a slight smile.

“Yes.” Jensen was curious about the thoughts swirling around in Jared’s head; the thoughts the boy had no clue that he could hear or pick up on. He’d seen his awe, the respect for the beauty as well as the art which told him this kid was more intelligent than he gave himself credit for. But then he began to pick up on his worry about being good enough to be in here until it was like some nasty little bug reminded him of what he was and Jensen felt a wall going up. “Who told you that?” he asked.

“What?” Jared looked back at the vampire. He wasn’t aware that he’d spoken aloud as his inner voice reminded him of who and what he was, and that he was not worthy of being in this room.

Jensen had lost the tie in the car and had been working on the buttons of his cuffs while he gave Jared time to look around, but now he realized too much time to think caused the boy issues. “That you’re nothing but a whore or that you’re only worth is for sex?” He lifted his gaze and held the boy’s eyes. “Did Morgan fill your head with those lies, Jared?”

“No, he just reaffirmed what my stepmother had already said.” Jared looked away and began to slowly remove the good clothes; he was extra careful to place the suit jacket over the back of a chair so it wouldn’t get wrinkled before starting to work on the shirt. “It didn’t take much for me to realize I was the stupid one for thinking I could actually do the things I’d dreamed of when I ran away. He was right. It just took…being made to face it for me to see it.” He glanced up. “How do you want me?”

It had taken a lot of effort for Jensen to keep quiet while the boy had talked, but until he had more details on Jared, his life, or his dealings with the pimp in question, he’d keep quiet. Then he looked up to answer the innocent question and felt a hard punch to his gut at the sight that waited him.

He had seen Jared earlier in his too tight clothes but something about seeing him without a shirt, long arms, wide shoulders and well-defined abs on display, hit the vampire a lot harder than he was expecting.

Usually sex for Jensen was a game. He really didn’t crave it unless he was bored or it had been too long. Then it was over with and done because despite some popular misconceptions, his kind did and could enjoy sex, even with humans.

They couldn’t reproduce, but they did still like to have sex. He usually did enough to relieve his own needs, made sure his partner got off, and then sent them home without a thought to seeing them again. A single look told him that things might be different after tonight because he found himself strangely drawn to this young man with his deep soulful eyes.

“The bed works for me.” He nodded to it, dropping his shirt on the floor and noticing the painfully careful way that Jared had folded his. Then he noticed something else and had to bite down hard on his tongue to keep his temper from surfacing. “Jared?”

“Yeah?” Jared had turned without a thought to look at the bed, thinking that he hated having to mess up the bed or the expensive looking duvet cover. He missed the tight, slightly hard tone used on his name, but he flinched at the look of anger on the vampire’s face. “Jensen?”

“Tell me the name of the bastard who whipped you bad enough to leave those scars.” Jensen had originally lived in a time where whippings were commonplace so he knew only too well the scars that could be left behind. He saw the results now scattered over the tanned skin of Jared’s back.

As he took in Jared’s back, thought about the collar he wore, and noticed other faint scars and marks Jensen found it harder and harder to control his temper.

“Did Morgan do this to you, Jared?” he demanded, stepping closer but making no move to touch when he saw the boy cringe back as if afraid of a blow. “Did he or his guards whip you like this?”

Jared hadn’t thought about the scars. He was used to them even though some of them were still painful. His johns usually didn’t give a damn about them; in fact many liked to add to them if they could, so it hadn’t occurred to him that Jensen would be any different…until now.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think they’d…bother you…” he stammered under the heat in Jensen’s eyes, feeling the first hint of true fear as he watched those eyes turn darker. “I…I can cover them up…” He started to reach for his own t-shirt, not sure if would be okay to put on the fancy borrowed shirt again.

Jensen forced himself to stay in place so he didn’t add to the fear that was starting to radiate off the boy. “I asked who did this to you, Jared. And I expect an answer. Was it Morgan?”

Jared dropped his head and nodded. He knew the night was over, that he had now messed up too badly to get paid. Surely Jensen finally realized what a screw-up he was. “I…I was sick. I…I…didn’t suck one of his friends well enough one night and…”

“So that’s an excuse to whip you raw?” Jensen was now certain he would be paying Morgan a visit in the very near future. “Some of these look old. Has he done this before?”

“Yes, I screw up a lot…but it…doesn’t matter,” Jared tried to say, confused and frightened that he’d messed the whole night up. “So long as I stay on my back you won’t see them…or if…or I could cover them if I had the stuff I was given to hide my scars when he hires me out to rich people or…”

Jensen could feel his fangs wanting to come out in response to his fury but he shoved that down. He did not want to scare this boy any further. “Where else do you have scars?” he asked tightly.

“It doesn’t matter,” Jared murmured, reaching for the pants to remove them and hopefully get Jensen’s attention back on what did matter only to have fingers move his away. “Please. I know I’m not perfect. I know I’m not good looking but…huh? I didn’t understand a word of that.”

“Good to know,” Jensen muttered after letting out a string of rapid and harsh Creole; it was was still natural for him to revert to his native language when well and truly pissed off. The bayou language was that of his mother and it still suited him well as he heard those words come out of Jared’s mouth. “You’re not good looking?”

Jared shook his head. “I’ve never been. I know that but I can still…” He stopped when a finger pressed against his lips to stop him.

“Sweet, sweet boy, you have no idea how beautiful you are.” Jensen’s rarely seen softer side, a side that hadn’t seen the light of day in decades, ached for this boy the longer he was with him. “I’m going to see your scars, Jared. I’m going to see them and one day you will tell me how you got each and every one of them.” He let his voice drop into a low, sultry one with more of his drawl, and noticed that Jared seemed to respond to it as some of the tension drained from his shoulders.

“Why?” Jared was lost in his confusion. He was also lost with feelings he didn’t understand, feelings he had never felt before. “Why should a few scars matter to you? I’m just a…” This time he saw the power behind Jensen’s eyes, but when the vampire’s hand reached for him, it wasn’t pain he felt but a careful, almost hesitant touch.

“Let’s start that list of rules right now.” Jensen nudged until Jared had no choice but to sit on the bottom of the bed or fall back and he sat beside him. “It can be just between us, just between you and me, and we can use them just when you’re with me, alright?”

Shocked that he was on a bed and there was still talking going on, Jared nodded blindly, feeling the softness of the duvet under his fingers as well as the soft mattress. “Alright,” he agreed.

“The big one? I want you to stop calling yourself a whore.” Jensen had never given much thought to the word, but with Jared using it to describe himself, he was thinking a lot about it now. He was thinking and he decided he hated that word. “I want you to stop thinking about yourself like that.”

“Why? It’s what I am, Jensen.” Jared stared at deep green eyes and didn’t understand the twitch of muscle he saw as if the vampire was angry or getting there. “I sell myself for money. You’ll pay me for sex so…it’s what I am.”

Jensen’s mouth opened then closed as he let his eyes go closed as well, gently resting his forehead against Jared’s as if thinking or gathering his wits back after that bout of reasoning scattered them. “I could put you through law school. You could battle wits with the best lawyers in the country and would probably beat them at their own game,” he murmured, hating that the boy was so right. “And if you don’t get paid, you get hurt.”

“Can I tell you something Jensen?” Jared asked hesitantly, wary and unsure but needing to go with his gut on this.

“Anything, darlin’,” Jensen nodded, sensing his fear and wanting to relieve it. “When you’re with me, I want you to be honest and open, never fear to speak your mind.”

Jared chewed his lip nervously before looking next to him. “For the first time ever…I…I wish I didn’t have to take money for sex.” He dropped his head, scared he’d overstepped his bounds, but then he felt lips brush his jaw. “You’ve been nice to me and I know realistically not every guy who hires a…someone like me for sex is cruel or mean; it just sometimes seems like it. It’s nice to…y’know…be able to talk or stuff before…it happens.”

“You’ve never enjoyed it, have you, _cher_?” Jensen knew the answer when he felt a something wet drop on his hand. “You will enjoy this, Jared. I promise you that.”

“I’m not allowed to enjoy it, Jensen.” Jared looked up after slashing the tears from his face; he guessed he owed Jensen the truth. “The collar isn’t the only thing he makes me wear. My sole job is to make you happy. It’s never mattered before now cause I honestly never considered anything else but…”

“What’s he got on you?” Jensen demanded, burning rage now really high given this admission. “Those jeans were too tight for a cage…so does he make you wear a ring?”

Jared’s cheeks were flaming. He wasn’t sure why talking about this with Jensen embarrassed him so much when he’d heard filthy talk since before he was 10. “Usually…a ring,” he admitted, again trying to undo the slacks only to have Jensen’s hands push his away. “He’s threatening using something new but…it’s fine, Jensen. I’m fine. I just wanna make you…”

“I asked you in the car if you’d do something for me.” Jensen willed his hands to be calm, gentle when he began to undo the slacks himself. “Will you trust me with what I ask of you, Jared?”

“Yes,” Jared nodded, glad to feel the slacks finally being undone. “It’s my job to serve you and…do you usually talk in that language a lot?” he asked when he heard Jensen muttering sourly under his breath in the same strange tongue as before.

“No, but it seems like I do when you’re around.” Jensen blew out a breath, feeling his tongue hit a fang and wishing he could sink them into Jared’s pimp right then. “Fine, rule #2: it is not your job to serve. You might be in a position where you have to sell your body for whatever reason allowed Morgan to sink his claws into you, but that does not make you his goddamn slave. I lived through a war where that crap was abolished.”

Jared knew that, but he also knew he’d lost his rights long ago. “I have no options, Jensen,” he mumbled. “Please just tell me what you want me to do for you.”

“It’s not for me that I want you to do something, sweet Jared.” Jensen caught the boy’s chin to lift it, quick to give reassurance when he caught a flash of terror. “Shhh, no, nothing like that. When we’re together, it will always just be us. No one else…I meant the whole I don’t like to share line. I want you to do something for you.”

That made Jared go still even as Jensen’s fingers were pushing him back on the bed. “What?” He blinked in confusion but lifted his hips to help remove the slacks, cringing as they were then tossed on the floor. “Jensen! Pick those up! They’ll get wrinkled and…”

“Danneel won’t have anything to bitch at me about if there are no wrinkled clothes, so stop worrying about them.” Jensen found himself adoring this boy more with each passing moment or innocent thing that came out of his mouth. He gave the same treatment to the silk boxers. Then he was torn between unexpected lust as he took in Jared’s full impressive body and anger as he also took in the clearly too tight cock ring. “Does…this stay on all the time?” he asked tightly.

“It’s supposed to. He gets mad if I take it off for more than an hour, but…it’s better than the week he put the cage on,” Jared admitted, biting down hard on his lip to keep the cry of pain in when a single light finger touched the base of his cock, over the cock ring. “Don’t…I mean…”

“Jared…this is too tight. It’s hurting you. It needs to come off for a little while.” Jensen saw the latch on the ring and silently was grateful the bastard pimp hadn’t used one that was impossible for Jared to remove himself. “Please, _cher_ , let me take it off?” He swore he wouldn’t influence the boy with his powers, but he also wasn’t about to leave that thing on or leave Jared in pain either.

Jared chewed his lip. He was in pain, but he was scared of Mr. Morgan learning he’d removed the ring or, even worse, that he’d let a client remove it. “I…I’ll…what if I come?” he asked in a whisper.

“Jared, that’s what I want you to do.” Jensen carded his fingers back through dark hair, brushing the bangs out of Jared’s face, smiling at the stunned look of confusion he saw there. “Tonight? I want to see you make yourself come. I want to watch you touch yourself. I want to see you enjoy it.”

Of all the stunning things Jensen had said that night, Jared was certain this one rocked him the most. “You want me to…” He stared blankly until he blushed at the thought. “I…I’m…I’ve never…I mean…”

“You have touched yourself, haven’t you?” Jensen’s lips curved a little more at the shaky nod. “When was the last time?”

“Before I came to New Orleans,” Jared admitted without thinking and then he did blush as Jensen stared at him in shock. “Mr. Morgan doesn’t allow us…me to get off like that. He…I mean…when he feels I’ve gone long enough he…ummm, I don’t really know…but I…”

Jensen was putting the pieces together and seriously did not like the picture that was emerging. “Jared, is he this way with all his male employees or is it just you?” he asked curiously. “I mean, do all the men have these same rules when they work or is it just you?”

“I think just me and that’s cause I’m too stupid to follow all the rules.” Jared wasn’t aware that his body had been moved up until his head touched a feather soft pillow. If he hadn’t already been concentrating on not falling asleep, he would have been out cold in seconds. “I’ve seen the few other guys at his parties and they don’t wear cock rings and only a few wear collars but…”

“You’re not stupid, darlin’,” Jensen murmured and smoothed a steady hand down a hard muscled chest until he reached a hand. “If I tell you to do this, to pleasure yourself, then that’s like following my orders, isn’t it?” He smiled as he watched Jared’s eyes darken at that mere touch and longed to do more, but he knew what needed to happen that night. “If he bitches at you, then you tell him to call me cause it’ll be my fault, not yours. Okay? Will you just try it?”

Jared considered it a second before he finally nodded. He watched as Jensen led his right hand down from his toned stomach to glide over his limp cock, scared he’d mess up in some way.

“Relax, Jared.” Jensen sat on the edge of the bed to help the young man get a slow but sure motion going. He’d poured some oil in Jared’s hand to help him and watched as his left hand unconsciously began to rub over hardening little nubs on his chest. “That’s it, darlin’. Just relax and touch yourself,” he encouraged in that slow, sexy drawl. “Don’t think. Don’t worry. Just let your body tell you what it wants and go with it.”

It was awkward at first until Jared found a rhythm to move his hand in. He was also more than a little self-conscious doing this in front of Jensen, but he relaxed a little more when he felt warm lips press over his in a gentle, playful kiss as Jensen’s fingers stroked down his cheek.

“You’re thinking too much about me watching you, _cher_.” Jensen knew this because he felt every thought the boy had. “Would it be better for you to close your eyes? Then close your eyes; forget I’m here and just touch yourself.”

Jensen moved to a chair beside the bed so he’d still be close, but he was trying to give this shy young hooker, and he didn’t know how anyone could be shy in that profession, the courage to do what he was asking him to do. It didn’t take long after that for the vampire to realize that Jared was losing himself in his own head, in the unusual feelings of pleasure he felt from touching himself.

“That’s it, Jared. Just let yourself feel.” Jensen smiled, leaning back in the chair to undo his slacks when he felt his own cock hardening from watching the sensual way Jared’s long body moved as he began to use both hands over his cock, down around his heavy balls to slowly slip a hesitant finger out as if testing. “Go ahead, darlin’. Use your finger; find that tight little pucker and oh my God…”

Jared’s long legs pulled up as his soft voice dropped into low throaty moans; his right hand started moving a little faster along his cock while a finger on his left hand slipped into a hole that Jensen could see from his vantage point had been stretched in a way that worried him because he knew there was no healthy way for that to have happened.

“Ohhh,” Jared groaned; his head tossed back as he felt his body thrusting into his own hand. He gasped at the finger he slipped into his own ass while struggling to keep the momentum on his cock and still squeezing his balls. He felt his body getting closer to an edge he didn’t know was there until this moment. “Jensen?” He tried to open his eyes, hearing soft words close to him as well as a heavier breathing, but didn’t want to lose his focus.

“Shhh, I’m with you, baby.” Jensen’s hand was occupied as he stroked himself unknowingly in time with Jared’s movements. “You are so damn gorgeous like this, Jared. So damn hot. You’re also close, aren’t you?”

“Please?” Jared was starting to panic as he felt an odd tightening he didn’t understand, hand moving quicker while his legs moved like they were under someone else’s control. “Need…you…”

Jensen wanted to touch that hot, sweat-glistened body in the worst way but he knew if he did, he’d lose what control he had right then. “I’m with you, Jay,” he soothed without realizing his slip. “This time it’s all on you. Next time I’ll help you out.”

“Will…will there be a…next time?” Jared asked between low moans and groans of need. His strong legs were squeezing together while his fingers moved over his tight balls as his other hand rubbed harder, faster in time to what he thought might be his own heart beating rapidly in his ears.

“Fuck yeah, there’s gonna be a next time.” Jensen would move Heaven and Hell to make sure of that because right then, he was pretty certain he’d never seen a hotter sight than the young man on his bed right at that moment.

He could hear Jared’s breathing, his heartbeat, and he also could tell how close he was to climaxing. Jensen realized he was pretty damn close himself. “Come for me, Jared.” He spoke in that slow sexy tone and then groaned deep in his throat as he watched Jared’s hand give one more good stroke before white strips of come shot out, hitting his stomach as the boy came with a muffled moan of pleasure; it was a sound that matched the one Jensen gave off when he came a second later.

Usually when Jensen came, it was for release, quick and over with. This time he was surprised at the depth and force of it, but he figured it was because he was totally enthralled with watching Jared work through his own. By the time Jensen’s orgasm was over with, he sensed Jared was about out and pushed out of the chair to sit on the bedside. He gently took the shaking hand from around the now limp cock and used the side of the duvet to wipe it free of come before placing it on the bed.

“Jared? Hey, you in there, _cher_?” Jensen asked with a smile that he didn’t realize had gone soft as he heard a soft moan and watched long lashes flutter as eyes, blown wide from passion, tried to open enough to lock onto him. “Did you enjoy that?”

“Hmmm.” Jared’s brain was shot to mush but he tried to form a coherent sentence while also trying to sit up, to move, only to be held back with very little strength on the vampire’s part. “You…did you?”

“Oh, I’d say even without actually doing anything, you did a very good job of getting me off, darlin’,” Jensen chuckled, brushing sweat soaked hair out of Jared’s sleepy eyes. “Are you awake enough for me to kiss you?”

“Hmm, please.” Jared wasn’t even close to awake or else he’d realize no one had ever asked to kiss him before or cared if he was even awake to do it.

The other kiss had been light and playful; this one, as Jensen’s lips touched his, started out slow and teasing but, as Jared returned it, quickly picked up heat until he also felt the touch of a tongue skimming over his lips. Instinct began to kick back in as he opened for more only to hear Jensen’s voice in his head.

‘ _Not too fast, little one_.’ Jensen had known it was too fast to deepen the kiss because he knew Jared’s inner ‘training’ would make him think he had to respond. ‘ _Just let me kiss you._ ’

The second the vampire felt his fangs want to come out in response to his body’s reaction to Jared, he pulled back to will himself to calm down, lips gliding down a long neck only to pause at the collar when he felt Jared tense.

“One day, sweet Jared…one day I will take this off of you and you will never be anything but who you want to be,” Jensen murmured against the skin at the hollow of Jared’s throat. “Do you even know what that is?”

“Free,” Jared whispered before he could think not to but where he’d once have tensed in fear, now he waited and felt Jensen’s smile against his throat.

“Then that’s what you’ll be.” Jensen would see it happen or else his eternal life would be wasted if he couldn’t help one innocent mortal. “Can you stay the night or are you expected to check in at a certain time?” he asked in a voice he hoped didn’t show how he disliked that idea.

Jared’s eyes were heavy but the question still surprised him. It also caused an odd little bundle of nerves to form in his bell that both confused and scared him. “I…I usually end up unconscious before the end so this is new for me,” he admitted quietly. “I…I’d like to stay if…if you want me to I mean.”

“Well I did tell Chad to have breakfast for you, so that should’ve been a giveaway that I wanted you to stay, but I just wanted to be sure you’d be okay with it.” Jensen actually would’ve forced the issue to get Jared to spend the rest of the night with him if only to have an excuse to touch him more, to hear the soft Texas drawl that he knew Jared had no clue was sexy as hell. “Sleep with me?”

There was just the slightest hint of a dimple showing when Jared gave a shy smile, nodding his head. “Umm, I don’t have anything to wear so…”

“Huh, yeah, guess we’d better fix that or else I might not be able to stay a gentleman tonight.” Jensen winked before moving to a huge walk-in closet to see what he had that might fit. “I’d call Danneel to find you something that would fit, but I think these should work for tonight.” He brought back a pair of soft pants and a worn out t-shirt. “Sometimes I buy stuff too big for me, and then she yells at me. It’s a good thing I kept them. You can wipe off and dress in the bathroom if you want.”

Jared gave another shy smile before taking the clothes and slipping into the bathroom to do both. He stared at himself in the mirror and actually hated the collar on his neck. He quickly shook that thought away by reminding himself that this was still just a job; he was still just a paid whore who would mean nothing to Jensen once he was gone. He swallowed the sudden burning in his throat and forced a smile as he stepped back into the bedroom.

The bed had been turned down already and Jensen had changed into black silk sleep pants while leaving his shirt off. He kept his face blank, trying not to reveal that he’d heard Jared’s thoughts and that word that the boy still insisted on calling himself. He tried to remind himself this was new territory for both of them but especially for Jared.

“Do you have a side preference?” Jensen patted the side of the bed that he suspected the young man might prefer, not surprised that he was right. He also wasn’t surprised at the shy hand that started to reach for him only to pull back. “C’mere, Jared. Chad’s right. I don’t bite,” he teased lightly, slipping an arm around Jared as he eased closer to lay a hand on Jensen’s chest. “I know you’re dying to say something else about vampires that will be so totally wrong that Chris will probably choke when I tell him, so go ahead.”

“It’s just…you’re warm.” Jared was sleepy but still curious as he moved a finger over Jensen’s chest, stopping when he felt a heartbeat. “You…you have a…nope, not saying that one. Sorry, I’m too curious for my own good. I don’t mean to be rude.”

Jensen fought back a smile while imagining Chris Kane’s face when he told him some of Jared’s comments. “We will have to discuss what stuff you’ve been watching as it seems you really do believe all the wrong stuff. We do have hearts that beat; we can eat garlic…though not if Chad cooks; sunlight hurts but we can survive it, and I can still go into a Catholic church without anything happening. Any other questions before you crash?”

“Do you have to drink from humans to live?” Jared yawned as he asked it, without considering that if the answer was yes, he might well be a midnight snack.

“Have to? No.” Jensen realized he was sharing more with this boy than he had with anyone in years but for some reason, he felt it was important to do so. “Most of my kind use blood banks or willing volunteers, but there are those who do still prefer to drink the old-fashioned way. There are the very few who don’t care if the human is willing or not – but that’s forbidden now and vampires who attack a human and are caught suffer a harsh fate.” He tilted Jared’s face up to him. “You will be safe when you come to see me. The ones in this house or around me are people, human and vampires, whom I trust.”

“So no snacking on me if we do happen to do this again?” Jared thought of the man tonight at the club and the cold touch he’d felt but chose not to bring that up.

Jensen frowned briefly. “Sheppard is an exception, Jared. He is not a friend. And if you ever see him when you’re not with me, then run. Get to a phone or call for me and if I can’t get to you, then Chris or Chad will. Now, sleep. You’re tired.”

Jared wanted to deny that but couldn’t as he felt himself drifting off with dreams of happiness instead of despair for the first time in years.

The next morning found Jared waking up in a soft bed, still wrapped in Jensen’s strong arms. It took a moment for him to recall where he was, and then he relaxed. It took him another moment to realize Jensen was awake and watching him.

“Hi,” he murmured softly, gasping as he was kissed and kissed well.

“Hi yourself, gorgeous.” Jensen loved making this boy blush but he knew their time that morning was short. “Breakfast is set if you want to eat.” He felt the tension creeping back into wide shoulders and sighed. “If I could, I’d keep you with me all day, but I know you can’t.”

Jared found that he wished he could. “He’ll be…expecting me to call or…” He waved a hand.

“I figured.” Jensen also knew he was planning to put his time to good use that day and call in a lot of favors; he was determined to see Jared free of Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s control. “Chad’s going to give you a phone to use if you want to call me or…need anything. Also…I will see you again even if I have to send Chris to…hire you again, but I need you to know that this, last night, wasn’t a one-time thing. Okay?”

“Okay.” Jared’s smile was stronger this time as he ate little bites of food since his stomach couldn’t handle a lot. He was tempted to overdo it because everything smelled and tasted so good, but he didn’t want to end his time with Jensen by throwing up on him. “He…Mr. Morgan might have a party this weekend, but up until Friday I should be free if you…I mean if you…”

Jensen moved around the table to kneel beside Jared, taking his face in his hands. “Tell me you want out and I will protect you, Jared. Just tell me and I will see you out of that hell.”

“No one, not even you, can free me from him, Jensen.” Jared knew a tear fell before Jensen’s lips brushed over his cheek. “Just…just please don’t be upset with me for…”

“Give me time, sweet boy. I will free you,” Jensen promised. He pressed a kiss to Jared’s temple before stepping back a second before a knock was heard. “That’s Chad. He’ll take you home. Call me if you need anything before we see one another again. Definitely call me if that asshole gives you any serious problems.”

Jared nodded. He’d been surprised to find a pair of new jeans and a T-shirt that fit him waiting for him but when he asked, Jensen had just shrugged.

“Jared?” Jensen called before Jared stepped out of the front door, a sealed envelope in his hand. “If I didn’t know that he’d hurt you if you didn’t have cash for last night, I wouldn’t pay you for what we shared.” He took a step closer to wrap his fingers around the back of Jared’s neck, drawing him closer for a slow kiss. “This money? It’s blood money to keep Morgan from punishing you; I hope it keeps you safe until I can get you away from him. It has no bearing on last night or what else will happen with us if you choose to see me again.”

“Thank you,” Jared whispered and both knew it was more for the words than the money.

The ride back to where Jared told Chad he lived was quiet with the young man lost in his thoughts as he tried to understand what was happening.

“This phone has three numbers programmed into it,” Chad explained after he pulled in front of the rundown dump, turning in his seat to hand over a cellphone. “Me, Chris, and of course, the Boss. You use it if you need any of us…or if you just want to shoot the breeze about your misconceptions about vampires.” He grinned while pretending not to see the shaking hands or hear how the kid’s breathing had picked up. “You okay or do you want me to hang around?”

The morning was bright and sunny and Jared had noticed Chad was wearing dark sunglasses and a cap as well as a light-weight jacket. He knew the sun hurt and didn’t see the sense of causing him more pain just because he had some creepy feeling.

“Nah, I’m fine.” He stepped out, but then paused. “Chad? Did Jensen mean what he said about…y’know…helping me get away from Mr. Morgan?” Jared had never had anyone want to help him before so he wasn’t certain.

“Kid, the boss has never said anything he didn’t mean,” Chad replied, an uneasy feeling filling him. “Jared? You sure you don’t want me to come up? I probably should check for man eating rodents from the looks of this place.”

Jared smiled. “No, go on. I’m…fine.” He waited until the long black car was out of sight to go into the building and up the creaky steps to open his barely livable apartment with a sigh. “Home sweet home,” he muttered with a trace of honest bitterness.

He tossed the money on a small table and was just starting to take a step toward his wall phone to call Gen when suddenly an excruciating burst of pain shot through his back as a strong arm wrapped around his neck and pulled him back against a solid chest. He opened his mouth to yell, but another strong hand clamped over his nose and mouth, cutting off his air and any chance he had of making a sound.

“Well, well, it looks like it’s time I remind you just who the hell owns this ass, Padalecki,” the low, gruff voice of Jeffrey Dean Morgan growled in his ear as Jared struggled weakly. He quickly grew dizzy from the lack of oxygen and felt the room start to spin around him. As he fell into darkness, he heard a crunching sound as a boot stepped on the phone that fell from his limp fingers as his arms were yanked behind him to be tied tightly. “I went easy on you, Jared. I tried to give you chances, but when you take a job that lasts all night and come home wearing another man’s clothes, then all bets are off and I will punish you. You will tell us every little thing about the ass your whored yourself out to or I will whip you raw. Take him!”

Jared tried to fight; he knew if he didn’t he’d die or disappear, but he was already falling to the floor. He thought briefly of Jensen and wondered if he’d even notice he was gone.

**TBC**


	4. Chapter 4

**Eternal Love**

**Chapter Four**

“This is a waste of my time, not to mention my money.”

“Since when have you ever whined about wasting money?” Chris Kane rolled his eyes while spinning a cap from a bottle of fancy water on the seat he was sitting in across from a very uptight and pissed off Jensen Ackles. “Hell, aren’t I and Danneel usually the ones reminding _you_ not to waste money on crap you don’t need?”

Jensen snorted while staring out the darkened windows of the new limo Chad had bought to replace the one that had been all but destroyed from a small temper tantrum earlier in the week. “You were also the one who wasted so much of my money on that damn hooker who caused me to be in this mood in the first place!” he shot back while reaching for a glass of amber liquid that barely made him hiss as he tossed the liquor back. He didn’t really want the alcohol but he couldn’t have want he actually wanted.

For nearly two weeks the vampire’s temper had been frayed to the point where he’d started to snap at his mortal friends as well as his employees. Danneel had finally informed him the other morning that if he snarled at one more maid with his fangs showing, then she was shoving his head through a cement wall before putting her high-heeled boot up his ass.

“Fine, I admit I fucked up. I thought the kid was more than the usual money grubbing whore off the street,” Chris snapped without thinking about his choice of words until he saw a flash of temper in green eyes. “You can’t be pissed off that he used you, tricked you or whatever the hell you’re calling it and still get pissed off at me for calling him what he is, Jensen. Make up your mind. Are you angry that Jared wasn’t the lost damaged soul he pretended to be or are you angry because you almost let yourself care for him and now you don’t know what’s going on?”

“I did not almost let myself care for him,” Jensen scoffed, pouring another drink since it took him a long time to feel the effects of alcohol. “I don’t care for mortals. I don’t even care for my own kind unless it suits me to do so, so why the hell should I care about one damn human who…” He stopped to close his eyes, longing for something that he couldn’t name, something that felt just out of reach; if only he could just put his finger on exactly what it was.

The day he’d sent Jared home, Jensen asked his people to start finding out more about the young man. He wanted to know about his past before moving to the Big Easy and just how he’d been pulled into Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s little den of sex and games as Jensen had been hearing some unsavory rumors about some of the man’s operations.

He’d gotten his private investigator to put out feelers, but the man was finding it difficult to learn anything about Jared before he arrived here and anything after was blocked by Morgan’s own people. People not on Morgan’s payroll were too scared of the man to talk.

His man inside the hospital did reveal that in the past six months Jared had been in the ER over a dozen times with a varying degree of injuries. He was always accompanied by a tall, nasally sounding man who claimed that the injuries were accidents or a hooker’s bad luck.

Jensen had been more convinced than ever that Jared had fallen into the life because he didn’t know any better, that Morgan had lured him in slowly before locking the proverbial gate once he had the boy where he knew he couldn’t get out. He’d believed that until the fourth day had passed with no sign of the boy; Jared seemed to have vanished off the face of the planet.

He’d tried to make himself believe that Jared had been called out on that party he’d mentioned; he had tried not to be jealous at the thought of another man, or even a woman, touching what he’d been very close to deeming as his. But when seven days had passed with still no sign of Jared and his messages went unreturned, then the anger began to kick in.

It had been after Chad had swung by the place where he’d dropped Jared off and reported that it looked like it had been empty for days, the phone he’d given the kid crushed carelessly on the floor that Jensen’s temper spiked along with his sense of betrayal.

After that moment, Jensen’s dark mood began to spiral out of control. He blamed Chris for bringing Jared to him in the first place, but he blamed himself even more for falling for what he was now convinced was the best acting he’d seen in 199 years of life as a vampire.

He’d honestly believed the shy, big-eyed boy who had far too many scars on his body and deep shadows under his eyes, the one who hadn’t been scared of vampires but panicked when the collar he wore was touched. Jensen had believed he was a victim, but it turned out that even vampires could be scammed.

The anger at being used, at thinking that he’d been so concerned about Jared enjoying himself that he’d altered his original plans for night, that he’d spent 15 thousand dollars on a hooker that he never even fucked brought out a side of himself that very few people ever saw. It also made him deeply regret sharing his private home and Jensen was determined to never open himself like that again. He also planned to prove a point to Jared as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

He was raw with anger and hurt, and it irritated him that every night as he lay in his bed, he found his hand slipping to the pillow that he swore still had the scent of apple shampoo. He thought of how gentle he’d been with him and how he’d nearly offered him everything, only to have the boy turn around and just basically toss it back in his face by going away for this long without making any contact.

Jensen’s temper had been on the surface for the last 12 days, but there was also an annoying buzzing in his head, a voice that said he needed to look deeper at the situation, but he was still battling his own self-hate and hurt too much to listen.

That was why when Chris announced they were going to the club that night so he could at least snarl at different people, get drunk and maybe find a fresh face to screw with, he’d tried to refuse until remembering his longtime friend wasn’t easily refused.

Now he was sitting in the back of the new limo drinking and brooding. He ignored Chris’s voice as well as Chad’s nervous glances. He knew they were concerned, but there were reasons Jensen had closed off his heart from emotions, and he’d been given a hard reminder of those reasons in the form of big dark eyes and a shy smile.

“Hartley called this morning,” Chris said suddenly, reaching for Jensen’s glass and replacing it with a bottle of water. “He said he found out something you might find interesting.”

“It doesn’t matter now,” Jensen returned darkly, no trace of charm or slow deep drawl now; his tone was hard, his words icy cold. “I could care less what he learned when it’d be all lies to match the lies of the present.”

“I told you about judging, Jensen.” Chris picked up a low sound from Chad but chose to focus on the vampire with him in the backseat. “Justin said what he learned, what he finally was able to piece together, might explain how Jared landed in New Orleans.”

“I don’t want to know anything about him,” Jensen gritted; even the name hurt his heart, and apparently his head as well because it suddenly ached with a pain he couldn’t explain while he stared out at the passing streets of a busy French Quarter neighborhood that was less inclined to tourists. “He’s dead to me or will be the next time I see…”

Jensen’s words suddenly cut off as he sat up in his seat and stared out the window with more intensity until he rolled it down, looking back as the car drove past a darkened corner where he’d noticed two scantily dressed young women drawing in clients while a dark suited guy hassled a young male with slicked back hair who was wearing a leather outfit that barely hit the decent level. “Chad! Stop the car!” he suddenly snapped when it hit him who he was seeing. “Stop!”

The tires screeched as the limo stopped hard and before either Chris or Chad could make a comment or question his actions, Jensen was out of the car with a low growl and one word. “Jared.”

“Oh shit,” Chad muttered, rubbing his face in expectation of blood being shed on a public street until he suddenly took in what Chris was only now noticing. “Hey, this don’t look good.” He reached into the glove box for something while hearing a low grunt. “You catching what I am or is it just me?”

“No, I see it, but I’m pretty damn sure that Jensen doesn’t.” Chris was already out of the car when he caught sight of something else his friend had missed; the guy in the suit was clearly Morgan’s man, and he was obviously there for some other reason than to make sure the hookers weren’t hassled or cheated. “Give Beaver a call and see if he’s got a squad in the neighborhood. The last thing we need is the damn cops getting involved if Jensen snaps on this asshole.”

Right then Jensen wasn’t seeing anything but the 6’4” young man he’d been wanting a piece of for nearly two weeks. The alcohol in his blood was fueling his temper and that, combined with the fact that he hadn’t fed correctly that night, all combined to make him explosively angry. It had been bad enough when he thought that Jared had just moved on without a care in the world, but to see him back out working the streets in a short leather number that left nothing to anyone’s imagination served to push him over the edge.

The short dark haired asshole in a suit currently pushing Jared around caught his attention briefly, but Jensen decided to deal with him later as he stalked up the sidewalk.

“I take it Mr. Morgan’s party ran over…or do you have a habit of so easily forgetting a client who pays you 15K for basically doing nothing, _cher_?” he demanded in a low, cold tone that had none of the casual charm or low sexy drawl like it had the last time they’d seen one another. “I will give you credit though for an Oscar worthy performance. You played the perfect victim, but I can see now that you are just like these other…”

“Jensen!” Chris was beside him, grabbing onto his shoulder to try to pull him away from Jared only to be shoved back as the two girls knew enough to scatter in fear of violence breaking out. “Back off a second.”

Jensen snarled silently at his friends, temper and emotion blinding him to everything but his own feelings. He missed everything else around him, like the blade being drawn by the enforcer and the too big, too glassy hazel eyes that couldn’t seem to focus on anything as strong fingers shoved him back against rough brick and something like pain flashed over a sickly pale face covered in sweat.

“Hey! Hands off the merchandise, asshole!” the enforcer snapped, stepping up to shove a hand against Jensen’s shoulder as if to move him back only to blink when it was like he hit a wall. “You got issues with the freak? You work it out in a room and pay top dollar cause this one needs to earn a lot to make up for all his screw-ups lately. Hey, did you hear me? I said…ugh!”

A hand grabbing his throat cut the man’s threats off as he was yanked closer to Jensen’s face. “My business with him is private. My advice to you and your boss is to stay away from me because I have serious issues with being led on and lied to by one of Morgan’s trained…”

“… … J…Jensen?”

The voice that spoke was whisper soft, ragged as if its owner’s voice had been strained. It was also slurred and thick which made its Texas drawl sound that much heavier.

“I guess I should be surprised or impressed that you even remember my name?” Jensen shot back with a sneer, missing the way Chris and Chad were trying to get his attention as he shoved the enforcer away before turning to step back into Jared’s space and grabbing him by the shoulders to push him harder against the brick wall.

“Tell me, Jared. Did the men you fucked for Morgan these past 12 days get the same song and dance? Did they fall for the sob story and sad eyes or was it just me?” he demanded, dropping his voice even lower while stepping closer until he’d essentially pinned the unmoving boy to the wall. “Did you tell him everything about me, boy?” he asked in a voice that left no doubt how pissed off and dangerous this situation was. “Tell me! Speak!”

“I…” Jared suddenly couldn’t breathe much less get a word out past his tight throat and thick tongue.

He’d been having a hard time concentrating for…he didn’t even know how long it had been since he’d seen Jensen, since he’d basically been kidnapped and put through things he wished he could forget. The pain in his body, the forced drugs, and the injuries that he’d suffered at the hand of Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s chief enforcer Christopher Heyerdahl and his people had been both humiliating and painful. In fact, it had been so terrifying and agonizing that now the small piece of Jared that could still think wished he could die, but he knew that wouldn’t happen unless an infection claimed him…or a pissed off vampire did.

Jared hadn’t dared to think of Jensen during his time in hell; he feared his captors would find out and punish him more. He’d given up hoping that perhaps the vampire had been concerned about his disappearance and might look for him. And after it was over, after Jeff told him cruelly that if he fucked up again, if he failed to work the streets like ordered, or ever thought of escaping him, that what he’d done to him this time would seem like a day at the spa, he realized that he could never get close to Jensen again…even if the vampire would want him after all that had happened.

His mind and body were basically still numb from the that were drugs used to force his will beyond his control, to make him nothing more than a sex slave to be used in the worst possible ways. But now that he’d finally been released, there was no chance to rest or recover. He’d been dragged out of Jeff’s limo that afternoon and shoved into what he’d been told would be his “uniform” for the night: tight leather shorts that didn’t hide anything, including his most humiliating punishment, and a tight leather tank top that matched the heavy leather cuffs that, along with a new collar, were not allowed to be removed by anyone other than Jeff or one of his top people. Jared knew that if the collar or cuffs showed any signs of tampering, the punishment would be severe.

Jared had been half unconscious all night, hardly able to stay upright much less pick up johns. He’d also been unable to defend himself when the enforcer arrived to shove him around and remind him of what his punishment would be if he failed to make quota that night.

It took several moments of hearing the low deep voice nearly snarling in his face before something began to click in his dim mind; his glassy eyes were too blurry and out of focus to really see but he could feel. Jared wasn’t certain exactly what he was feeling, but it felt like a knife stabbing his heart as the words penetrated what coherent thought he still could muster, and he knew what Jensen had thought about his disappearance… and now him too.

His head was pounding, his heart was thudding in his ears, and his stomach had sick knots in it. Awful white spots began dancing in front of his eyes which didn’t help with the blurry dimness making it impossible for him to see clearly, but then again, Jared didn’t have to see Jensen to know he was furious. He heard it and could picture in his mind the tight rugged jawline and the deep green eyes that were probably boring into his.

“Did you use that money I gave you for a nice vacation with him or a new guy?” Jensen’s anger was in full swing so much that he missed the soft gasps as if Jared was fighting for breath. He also missed the weak left hand that was trying to reach up, to reach for him. He missed the signs of violence that were all over the young hooker until a hard hand suddenly yanked him back. “What the…”

“Back the hell off, Jensen!” Chris snapped, hardening his gravelly voice as he stepped between Jensen and Jared with his hand held out as if to restrain him. “Calm down, take a few breaths, and then you better take a closer look at this situation.”

Jensen’s first urge was to rip his friend’s throat out. He could feel the fangs coming out as they did when he got too angry or if he hadn’t fed enough, both of which were the case that night. “Why the hell should I calm down or back off?” he demanded.

“Because he’s hurt!” Chad snapped as he shoved past both of them to go closer to a suddenly shaking, wide-eyed Jared. “Hey, kiddo. It’s okay. Chris has Jensen. He’s not gonna touch you or hurt you but you’d better sit on down before you fall down.”

“I wouldn’t promise that because I have definite plans to cause some hurt as soon as you two get the hell…Kane!” Jensen snapped, both outraged and shocked when he was actually shoved back against a light pole and held there by a strong arm against his chest; it reminded him that Kane was indeed older and more powerful than he was.

“I will put you on your ass or I will even end your goddamn arrogant life if you try to hurt that boy right now, Jensen!” Chris snarled and allowed his fangs to show, something he rarely did unless making a point. “Stop! Calm down! Lose the attitude! Stop thinking with your own damn hurt and look at him! Look past what you want to think or see and look at him! Really look, Jensen!”

When Jensen still struggled against his grip, Chris growled low in his throat and managed to grab a handful of wavy hair to yank his friend’s head back, forcing his gaze to move to where Jared had finally lost the battle to stay standing and had slid down the wall. He was trying to pull his legs up to his chest as if seeking to protect himself as Chad knelt beside him.

“I know you’re angry with him. I know you’re hurting. I know you think he betrayed you. I know what we all thought, but look at him, Jensen.” He glanced over at the soft whimper of pain and fear as Chad moved a little closer until he was finally able to lay a hand on Jared’s arm. “These street lamps keep the mortals from seeing; your anger has kept you from seeing, but now look at him…listen….smell…he’s hurt bad. I don’t think he disappeared on you of his own free will.”

Jensen frowned slightly, but he did slowly take a few deep breaths to try to settle his temper, his emotions down. As he was doing this, he closed his eyes and could hear Chad’s voice speaking slowly, soothingly, as if trying to calm a frightened child instead of a grown young man. His lips thinned but then he frowned more when he realized he could hear something wrong with the rattled breathing; it was as if Jared was fighting to draw a breath without causing himself pain.

Focusing his power to hear, the vampire also realized the sound of the beating heart was too fast. It skipped in a way that bothered Jensen; the actual beat of the heart didn’t match the pulse he could see in Jared’s throat as Chad lifted a lowered head to gaze into eyes that were badly blown wide with either shock or drugs, which explained the irregular heart rate.

“Jared,” he whispered, eyes narrowing as he finally began to take in more of what he’d missed seeing before and cursed his own temper for not noticing the changes that he now could clearly see.

Jensen relaxed slightly, enough to let Chris know it was safe to release him. He started to take a step forward when suddenly the sound of a gun cocking was heard. Jensen’s eyes slid to the side to see that the enforcer had picked himself up to pull a gun.

“Back the fuck off!” the man growled menacingly, aiming his weapon, confident he had the upper hand. “He’s Mr. Morgan’s property! He’s got money to make or else pretty boy gets to have more fun at the farm, ain’t that right, freak?”

Jared whimpered softly, barely conscious now but still able to hear the very clear threat. He tried to tense, to curl up into a ball, only to feel the hand on his arm stay rather than move like he expected it to. He couldn’t find the strength to try to look past the fog to see what was happening.

“Really?” Jensen’s lips curved slowly, his temper there but no longer aimed at Jared. Now he had a new target to aim his fury at, and while he couldn’t get his hands on the person he blamed for what little he could see right then, he could take it out on the minion. “Do you know who I am, little man?” he asked slowly.

“Some faggot looking to score for free with Mr. Morgan’s property,” the guy sneered then screamed as a blur of movement resulted in his hand being broken when the gun was ripped out of it. The blur turned into Chris as he slammed the man against the wall of the now empty sidewalk.

“Can I gut this little prick?” Chris asked tightly while noticing that Jensen had stepped between the tough guy and where Chad was now basically supporting Jared. “I’d rip his throat out, but I don’t know where he’s been.”

Jensen stared at the now wide-eyed goon, ears picking up soft mumbles that were quickly turning his fury to something else, and he wanted this over with so his focus could be centered on one scared, injured boy. “He could take a message back to Morgan for me,” he mused.

“We need time to figure out how bad the kid’s hurt, why Morgan hurt him this bad, and how to get him away from the bastard permanently,” Chris countered, back in bodyguard mode. “This asshole will bring all of Morgan’s cronies down on you; they’re going to want to get him back if he was willing to do this to him for whatever he thinks he did wrong. We need time, Jensen.”

“Fine,” Jensen nodded, more interested in what was going on behind him. He looked at the goon, easily seeing his thoughts, and gave Chris a hard look. “Handle it and then find Stella for me. Have Justin at the house in the morning and call Beaver,” he ordered as he turned on his heel to move to where Chad was still kneeling. “No mistakes, Chris. Make it look like one of his other competitors did it or something.”

“Like I didn’t plan on that,” Chris muttered, squeezing the guy’s throat harder to keep him under control while eyeing his friend. “What’re you doing, boss?” he asked curiously though he hoped he knew as he met Chad’s worried gaze.

“Taking him home,” Jensen replied tersely. He knelt down on Jared’s other side and slowly reached a hand out to touch a too pale, too thin face; he was instantly struck by the fever he could feel as well as a scent of blood, but it was the other scents Jensen could smell that really bothered him. “Jared? Can you hear me?”

There was a soft moan but Jensen couldn’t be sure if it was an acknowledgement or if was a result of pain and fear. He felt Chad’s eyes and the younger vampire’s concern as he saw now what he’d stupidly missed before. He realized that he’d woefully misjudged the situation as well as Jared himself…again.

“ _Cher_ ,” he whispered softly, being careful when he let his fingers move back through too slick hair. He winced when he felt the bump on the back of Jared’s skull as well as what he knew were several stitches. “Jared? It’s Jensen. I know I’ve given you no reason to trust what I say, but I swear I will not hurt you. Can I touch you, darlin’?”

Jared again let out a small whimper but made no move either toward or away from Jensen as Chad shook his head grimly.

“Dude, he’s drugged out of his skull. Those bastards really did a number on him,” he muttered lowly, shaking his head as he watched Jensen shrug out of his jacket to wrap it around shaking shoulders. “We need to get him outta here.”

Jensen nodded. He hesitated a second before slowly, gently easing an arm around shoulders that he swore felt even felt thinner than they had 12 days earlier. “Go turn the heater on in the car and see if there’s a blanket in the trunk. He’s freezing and needs more heat than I can give him right now. Is he conscious or not?” he asked with concern as he noticed one eye was swollen shut, and the pupil of the other eye seemed to be blown wide open.

“He’s drugged,” Chad repeated with a little more emphasis as he went to go follow instructions. “He can hear you, Jensen. He might not understand fully right now or be able to respond, but he can hear you. Talk to him. Let him know he’s safe with us, with you, because between whatever the hell he’s been put through and your little scene just now, his head’s gotta be all messed up with lies, doubts, and fears.”

Noticing that the street was still quiet, but figuring things would soon pick up again, Jensen decided he needed to get Jared moved to the car and then to his home for better care. “I’m going to help you stand up, Jared.” He was careful now to keep his voice pitched low and soothing and wondered how his drawl returned without him being consciously aware of it. “Shhh, don’t be afraid, little one. I swear you’re safe with me. I’m sorry I scared you just now and that I lost my temper. It…it’s complicated.”

 _‘… …hate me. Disgusted_.’

Jensen nearly lost his grip on the shaking, weak boy when he heard soft, ragged words and realized that they were not spoken out loud. Normally he couldn’t pick up a mortal’s thoughts unless he opened himself to them. This was the first time that something like this had happened and he wasn’t sure what to make of it. Then the words sank in and he felt his gut clench, realizing that his actions had just reinforced all of Jared’s self-loathing and hate.

‘ _No, I don’t hate you_ ,’ Jensen returned the same way, deciding that was what Chad was saying when he said to talk to Jared. ‘ _And who’s disgusted? Me? Over what_?’

Now with Jared closer to him, and now that Jensen was calming down at the realization that not everything was how he’d believed it was, he could see the other not so obvious wounds. He could also feel the sluggish way Jared’s limbs moved as he helped him to the car.

Jensen could almost hear the pain this boy was in with every step until he took more of his weight on him and finally helped him ease into the car, pleased that he could already feel the heat warming the back. “Stretch out on the seat and relax,” he urged only to frown when his order was followed to the letter and he began to get an idea of just how badly Jared was drugged. “Jared? Hold out your left hand.”

Jared was right handed. Jensen had seen that before, so he knew it was a more natural reaction for him to reach with his right…unless ordered to do the opposite.

The second he caught the slow, sluggish movement of a clearly bruised left hand, the vampire was fighting back his urge to curse. He gently caught the hand to fold it back in closer to where the boy was trying to curl up on the seat.

‘ _Jared? Can you hear me like this_?’ he asked silently, sitting on the edge of the seat. He gently covered him with a soft blanket but not before getting a good look at him and seeing everything the leather clothes didn’t bother to hide. ‘ _Jay_?’

The nickname slipped out before Jensen could stop it, but he felt a small flicker of life come from the battered boy beside him at its use, which told him that Jared could hear him.

‘ _Can you move to your back for me_?’ Jensen wanted these clothes off; he wanted to rip the too tight leather off of skin that he could see was mottled with bruises and cuts, but he also didn’t want to traumatize Jared more and so would force himself to wait. ‘ _You don’t have to yet if you feel safer like this but you will have to later on, okay, darlin’_?’

‘ _P…lease,_ ’ Jared’s mental voice was soft. It was not as slurred as his vocal one had been, but it was just as scared. ‘ _Don’…hurt…_ ’ He was so cold, so numb, but the piece of him that was still a little alert knew he should be grateful for both since it kept the pain away for the moment. ‘ _Do…what…want…Mas_ …’

‘ _Jared, look at me_ ,’ Jensen cut in quickly as he began to see flashes of memory, flashes that he quickly realized were things that Jared had endured while he’d foolishly believed the boy had willingly left the city. He saw heavy eyelids struggle to open but knew that was useless since Jared was under the effects of days worth of drugs that sapped his will enough to leave him in this near zombie like state; a state that would make bringing him back out of it harder than it should be.

“Chad! Tell Danneel to have my room lit, heated, and the bed turned down. I’m taking him straight there,” he ordered vocally while keeping his touch light as his fingers brushed along pale sunken cheeks. “Also, make sure Stella’s there and have the cook start some broth. He’s starving.”

Not bothering to wait for a response as Jensen knew the driver would already be doing as he instructed, he gently lifted Jared up so he could move closer and held the shaking, shivering body in his arms.

He felt Jared tense as if expecting pain or injury but as he whispered soothing words while also speaking to him silently, Jensen soon felt some of the tension seeping away if only because Jared was too weak to fight being conscious much longer. Whatever drugs had been used, along with his injuries and just pure exhaustion, seemed to be pulling him under deeper.

“Just rest, _cher_ ,” he whispered, lightly rubbing his hand over a badly bruised arm. He could also feel a rigidness to Jared’s stomach that worried him. “Just sleep now. You’ll be safe when you wake. We’ll talk soon and I’ll make this up to you.”

The ride back to the townhouse didn’t take long as Chad took as many shortcuts and broke several speed limits. He’d passed along Jensen’s orders as well as a few of his own and could see Matt Cohen and a few others waiting in the courtyard when he pulled up close.

“Help the boss get him upstairs,” Chad ordered Matt while grabbing two other vampires he trusted to be loyal to Jensen. “You pull in some others who know what Chris will do to them if they fuck up. No one gets within 500 yards of this place without us knowing it. No one even steps on the property unless he or she works with or for Jensen, and if any of goddamn Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s cronies come close, they get their asses tossed,” he ordered in the rare cold tone he usually left to Jensen and Chris.

Jensen refused to let anyone else touch Jared as he easily handled the mortal’s weight with his own strength, carrying him upstairs to his home with soft whispers and gentle thoughts to keep him calm and in the deep half sleep he’d slipped into on the drive here.

“Oh my God!” Danneel Harris’s voice came from inside the living room where she’d been waiting, hand going to her mouth in shock as she saw Jared’s condition. “If I find out you put any of those marks on him, I will hurt you,” she snapped, crossing the room to lightly touch a limp hand, and her eyes shot to Jensen’s. “He’s ice cold. His pulse is too slow and…oh my God, they’ve drugged him. Where’d you find him?”

“On a street corner,” Jensen replied tightly, still recalling his instant thoughts and knowing Chris was right. He’d jumped to the wrong conclusions, judged Jared incorrectly, and now would have to live with that guilt; he knew that if he hadn’t let his own anger sway him, he might’ve searched harder and been able to find Jared before things got this bad. “Did you do what I said to?” he asked as he moved toward his bedroom, cradling the young man in his arms.

“Yes, and Stella’s waiting for you in your room,” Danneel followed as she heard Chad growling about morons and what he’d like to do to the bastards who’d touched his new buddy. “How…how bad is he, Jensen?”

“I don’t know yet,” Jensen sighed, stepping into his room to feel the warmth that would hopefully keep Jared from slipping further into shock. He also smelled the incense and candles that told him Stella was close. “Dani, find him some decent clothes or send Katie out to buy some cause these will be burned the second I get them off of him. Stella.”

Stella St. Croix turned from lighting a set of candles to look between Jensen and the still figure in his arms, nodding to the bed. “Lay the child down, Jensen.” She didn’t have to be close to get a sense of what she was facing. “He’s been touched.”

“Yeah, I figured that one out already,” Jensen snorted then snarled when it felt like he’d been slapped in the face even though the ageless older woman hadn’t moved. “What was that for?”

“Your sass for one and your blindness for another,” she returned, reaching for her small satchel. “You were born in the bayous to a woman who was known among the slaves as a white witch. You’ve grown up around magic and voodoo all your life and yet now that you’re a vampire, you forget what it looks or feels like to be close to someone touched by evil mojo.” She shook her head while scolding him. “Lil’ Danneel tells me he works for Jeffrey Dean Morgan.”

“Worked,” Jensen corrected firmly. He eased Jared to the bed as carefully as he could and noticed for the first time how badly the right knee appeared to be swollen through tight black leather. “I will personally rip that bastard’s heart out before he goes back to him. I made the mistake of letting him go once when I sensed how scared he was and this happened. I don’t repeat my mistakes.”

Stella paused in what she was doing to take a long look at Jensen as if surprised by his words and also his tone. “You care for him,” she murmured. “You haven’t fully accepted it yet because you’re still battling your own pain, but you care enough to have been hurt by what you thought was betrayal and now you care enough to face down a very powerful and cruel man for this boy. You never cease to amaze me, Jensen Ackles.”

“I…I haven’t decided how I feel for him yet,” Jensen muttered but felt uneasy at the thought that perhaps he _had_ started to care and that was why he’d been so hurt before and why he’d been so quick to lash out tonight. Maybe it was now why he felt so damn scared as he took in the full scope of Jared’s injured body as Stella began to work.

Jensen had met the voodoo priestess/healer many years ago. He’d been sworn to secrecy about how old the woman was and only Chris Kane had known her longer. He’d seen her do both scary things and miraculous ones, so as he worked to remove the leather clothes while not losing his temper, he prayed she could perform a miracle again.

Jared’s eyes were closed, but the movement behind them told Jensen that his sleep, if he actually was asleep, wasn’t calm or peaceful. He sought to soothe the boy while working to remove the leather, but he stopped at the sight of what he’d expected to see but had still hoped he wouldn’t.

“I _will_ be hurting someone soon or turning Chris loose,” he growled, feeling his blood heat with a rage he hadn’t felt in a long time as he took in the painful looking cockcage that was clearly more punishment and humiliation than anything else. “He didn’t need to do this to him.”

“Morgan’s a sadistic man, Jensen,” Stella spoke up as she bathed Jared’s face with warm water to remove the thin layer of flesh tone make-up that hid deep bruises and wounds on the side of his face from where something had obviously cut into his flesh. “Oh, Mon Dieu,” she whispered, horrified even more as she finished cleaning him of the makeup that someone with a skilled hand had used to obviously hide any serious marks that might have deterred a possible client. “How long was he gone?”

“12 days.” Jensen’s fingers shook slightly as he tried to remove the offending device without causing Jared anymore pain but still felt him tense as if the sleeping young man knew what was happening. “I…I thought he’d…I let all the doubt and hurt of before make me doubt him, Stella. I did exactly what Chris said I would one day and I believed he’d left willingly but he…he didn’t. He…Jared?”

A sudden jerk and a soft whimper had Jensen looking up, and he frowned to see tears leaking from the corners of closed lids, glistening on fluttering lashes while already scattered thoughts became even shakier but also harder for him to ignore. Then it hit him with a sick horror. “Jared? Stella, is he awake?” he demanded, thinking back to things Chad had said as well as what the healer had said as well. “I know the drug makes him respond to vocal commands even without me using any power on him but I thought he was… _sonuvabitch_! What the fuck did they do to him?”

A jump in the pulse under his hand along with a slight twitch and another whimper, this time of fear, told Jensen that the boy was indeed aware of what was going on. “Tell me, Stella. Tell me what this is…and what can I do to help him fight it?”

“Morgan has a powerful voodoo priest on his payroll it seems.” Stella smoothed a hand over Jared’s forehead with a soothing whisper that eased some of the tension there, but her dark eyes were grim when she looked up at the seething vampire. “They didn’t just take this boy to be used as a toy at one of Morgan’s so-called parties, Jensen. He was taken and also tortured mentally and emotionally while they used drugs to make him helpless.

“These marks on his face?” she motioned to the cuts, then to other ones on his biceps. “They had a bit in his mouth, tied so tight it cut him. They treated this child as an animal to degrade him, to teach him that in Morgan’s world, he was less than a dog or…” Stella grabbed a clenching hand. “Boy! You lose your temper and it’ll terrify him. Now listen to me because you can lead him back to you while I try to counter the dark magic.”

Jensen didn’t need to be hit in the head to pick up on what she was hinting at. He could see the wounds; he could see the brief but terrifying images flashing through Jared’s mind as he struggled between the now and the then; he was obviously confused, not knowing if he was safe or if this was another trick that would get him punished.

“Morgan kept him drugged all 12 days?” he asked softly, hearing footsteps approaching but telling Chad to stay away for the moment. While Jared seemed to be able to hear him, it appeared harder for him to know the others right then. “The rumors of him having zombie slaves for sex toys hidden somewhere for his more deviant clients then…”

“Not rumors, _ma cher_ ,” the woman replied sadly, looking down. “He has made them because I’ve seen a few broken shells of what remains when he has no more use for them in his stable. This boy…if you hadn’t found him tonight when you did, if you hadn’t brought him here and away from those animals, this boy would have been lost as well.” She glanced up into deep glittering green eyes. “He’s scared, confused. He believes the lies, what they told him. He believes you hate him and also that if you learn what they did to him, what they made him do, that you’ll be disgusted by him.”

Stella had been around New Orleans for a long time. She’d seen and dealt with many people as well as their emotions, but it had been a long time since she’d encountered feelings as strong as she was sensing in this young man. She also suspected that Jensen wasn’t prepared for the depth of his own emotions yet and that worried her.

“He can hear your thoughts?” she asked, humming at his slow nod while taking a crystal out of her bag to press it into Jensen’s hand. She then took Jared’s tense one to place it into Jensen’s, pleased when he took it naturally. “I can heal some of these wounds but cleaning and dressing them will be painful. It will confuse him because any touch now from someone who is not you will remind him of those who hurt him. He needs to come out of this nightmare, but he needs you to help him find his way.”

Jensen frowned. He knew what she meant. He also knew that kind of connection wasn’t easy to make with a mortal. Usually for a vampire to make the type of mental connection Stella was speaking of, a vampire and the mortal had to have been together in some way or have shared blood.

He and Jared had shared a connection, he could feel it growing stronger even now, but he wasn’t certain if he could use it to slip into his mind, to find the piece of Jared that was still the same boy that Jensen had foolishly let leave his home.

“I’ve only done a mental link like this once. It’s not easy on me or the human I do it with.” He was concerned and it showed, but he stopped to focus on that link when he heard Jared’s weak voice calling to him and what he heard broke what little resolve the vampire had left.

‘ _Jen…help_.’

The voice was weak, frightened, as if Jared was getting weaker, scared that Jensen wouldn’t care or come for him and even before he knew it, Jensen was moving to sit on the bed. He was careful as he slipped Jared into his arms to hold him back against him but made sure if he started to wake up, Jared wouldn’t think he was being hurt or touched by the demons in his mind.

“Do what you can for him now. I’ll handle the rest when he’s awake so he’ll understand what’s happening to him,” he told Stella, looking to see a worried Danneel in the door. “Tell Chris not to touch me once I go under. Don’t let anyone try to move Jared out of my arms because I will react to that as a threat to him and will go for the throat,” he told her seriously, slipping Jared’s badly swollen right hand into his own to fold it up over the young man’s heart.

“Be careful,” Danneel encouraged.

Jensen closed his eyes and took a slow breath. He felt Jared’s heart in his head so he focused on that as he slowly whispered reassuring words in the same slow sexy drawl that had served to calm Jared down before. He felt the body in his arms slowly relaxing until the vampire let himself drift with the plan to bring Jared’s subconscious into a safe place so they could talk. He was not expecting what he saw when he opened his eyes…

**TBC**


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one has mention of violence but I don't think anything too descriptive.

**Eternal Love**

**Chapter Five**

“Nooo!”

Entering someone’s mind, vampire or mortal, was never an easy task. This time as Jensen Ackles felt his awareness return, he quickly realized that the experience might be even harder than usual. He was rocked by the terror he could feel as well as brutal images that started out blurry but soon cleared. It also became very clear to him just how badly he’d misjudged what had happened over the last 12 days. He now realized that Jared had been seriously hurt and scarred, emotionally and physically, and was also badly traumatized.

The scream he heard took Jensen off guard but he quickly realized that it wasn’t real; it was happening in Jared’s memory…and that memory instantly had his stomach knotting, his fists clenching, and his fangs coming out as he watched the blurry image become more solid than it should’ve this quickly. He watched in anger and disbelief as a tall gaunt looking man drew a knotted whip back and struck it repeatedly over a back that was already bloody with welts and cuts.

“Jared,” he whispered in sick horror as he realized he’d stepped into Jared reliving in brutal detail what had happened to him and he cursed himself at just how badly he’d misjudged the situation.

The vampire hesitated; he was torn between trying to shut the violent images out and witnessing what Jared had suffered, what he’d been forced to live through for 12 days while Jensen believed he’d left willingly. Swallowing the sour taste in his mouth, Jensen steeled himself as he watched men, he assumed they were enforcers for Jeffrey Dean Morgan, brutally beat, humiliate, starve and rape Jared.

The images were flashing rapidly as if the boy was fighting them, but Jensen’s preternatural eyes could easily keep up with them. He watched as Morgan himself took a turn with the whip while shouting crude obscenities at a helpless Jared who was strapped to a bench.

“‘ _This is just a start, boy_!’” the gruff bearded man growled while wrapping thick fingers in filthy hair to yank Jared’s head back painfully. “‘ _You’re gonna be learning some new lessons and some old ones until Mr. H. thinks you’re ready to serve a new purpose. I have a lot of people who will pay me big bucks to let them fuck you in all sorts of new ways_.

“‘ _By the time we’re done with you this time, you’ll know better than to ever hint that you want out of my employment. Did you really think that wouldn’t get back to me_?’” Morgan sneered as he tossed the whip over to another man before moving to the front of the bench to slap him across the face. “ _You’re also going to tell me everything about this guy you spent the other night with; the one who paid you 15K. What did he have you do for that much case, Jared? Did you fuck him really good? Did you let him play games when you’ve fought playing them with me? Who is he?_ ’” he demanded, giving a harder slap. ‘“ _Tell me!_ ’”

Jensen held his breath and waited for Jared to answer the questions, to give the sadistic pimp his name and details; after all, he had shared things with Jared that would be very dangerous for anyone else to know. As he watched the level of violence escalate, he could see Morgan’s face turning red with rage as his helpless, frightened captive locked his jaw and refused to answer him or give him any information about who he’d been with last and who’d paid him the money.

“He didn’t tell him,” he whispered to himself, stunned and horrified at what he watched the men do and still his name never came out of Jared’s mouth even though he might’ve thought it would have cut the torture back some. “Oh God…” He felt sick at how he’d treated Jared earlier and realized that if he hadn’t acted like a spoiled brat, if he’d actually looked for Jared, he might’ve stopped this horror before it reached this horrific level.

The images varied, but each scene involved cruel abuse either in a well-equipped barn that was plainly used to torture and teach sex slaves or in what looked to be a basement dungeon. However, Jensen soon realized that the worst torture had occurred inside the fancy looking house.

Jensen had seen a lot in his 199 years. He’d been to plenty of parties where sex slaves made the rounds and were fondled, objectified, and even raped in the middle of a party for all onlookers to see and enjoy. Those were parties he left quickly because while he wouldn’t deny that he often enjoyed a little rough sex, he did have a line he tried not to cross. Knowing a man or woman wasn’t a willing participant never failed to turn his stomach. His early days of being a vampire under the control of someone else, much like these people, taught him the rules he now tried to live by.

As he tried to find Jared in the midst of these horrible images, it became clear that while there were plenty of ‘toys’ at Morgan’s secret gathering, he allowed the cruelest among them to use a scared, confused, and drugged Jared however they wanted.

The bondage games turned Jensen’s stomach, reminding him to double check what went on in his own clubs because if he ever learned anything this vile, demeaning, or degrading happened to any of the subs in one of his clubs, then heads would roll, literally. What finally reassured Jensen that he still had a least a piece of his humanity was when he literally lost what was in his stomach as he watched the truly horrific stuff that Morgan along with men and women, high society people, did to Jared toward the end of his captivity.

He knew the images were just memories from Jared’s frightened thoughts, but it was so hard for Jensen to not try to stop the horrors as the ‘games’ turned from painful to brutal to humiliating. When he finally saw what the bit placed in Jared’s mouth had been really used for, the vampire knew he needed to find the boy and stop the memories.

Jensen was about to try that, to see if he could locate Jared’s core self in the middle of the brutal, scary memories when he suddenly paused to glare at the smug face of Jeffrey Dean Morgan as he grabbed a clearly drugged out, numb, and barely conscious Jared by the face to kiss him hard.

“‘ _Mine, pretty boy. I told you once that you were mine to use, to sell, to hurt, and to own so you just remember that the next time you think about running away from your master. If you ever try to get away from me…if you ever think that some other poor slob out there gives a damn about you…then you’d better remember what you learned here. All anyone cares about is your body and fucking your useless self any way I let them. Now you just stay still like a good sex toy and let me remind you of all you’re good for and what I expect from you,’_ ” the man growled before continuing to take his anger out on a limp, frozen Jared in the back of the limo before shoving him out with orders to his men to make sure to dress him properly and keep him leashed like the dog he was.

“I will rip that bastard apart at the very first chance I get.” Jensen willed his temper down when he actually felt a tremor in the environment that told him Jared could feel his emotions. “Jared?” he called while willing the nightmare images that were just running on a loop as if Jared couldn’t shut them off himself to go away. “Darlin’ can you hear me? It’s Jensen?”

That caused another little flicker but not enough to fully change the images of pain until finally Jensen had seen enough; he knew that this was part of the drug controlling Jared and that before he’d been ‘let go’ someone must have told him to remember his abuse. Knowing that allowed Jensen to use a small amount of his power to coax the dark images aside by telling Jared to think on something he liked, somewhere he felt safe. He hoped it worked since he didn’t want to use too much power on the weakened mortal this soon.

It seemed to take a few moments but just as Jensen was about to focus his thoughts to locate Jared’s consciousness in the middle of turmoil, he felt a shift and with a breath of relief saw that the scene of Morgan’s fancy house, the nightmares in the barn and dungeon and so much worse were replaced by a quiet park setting that sort of reminded Jensen of a small park in the French Quarter.

There were a few people milling around but he knew they were just there because they’d be expected to be. The vampire was more interested in the figure curled under a large tree with his legs pulled as far up to his chest as he could manage, head buried against his knees while he shook violently.

“Jay.” The nickname seemed to come easier than Jensen thought it would. He’d never been particularly fond of them, and he’s certainly never allowed anyone to shorten his name like Jared had earlier, but for some reason, it felt right in this moment. It also always seemed to get Jared’s attention because now Jensen saw the shaking shoulders still. “It’s okay, _cher_. It’s just me. Can I come close to you?” he asked, letting his voice drop into a low soothing drawl.

Jared didn’t look up but he did give a jerky little nod that Jensen took as approval to approach. As he did, Jensen noticed that while the small park had people milling around, it also had animals and they were more populous in number, which told him that Jared preferred animals to people.

Jensen sat down beside Jared under the tree, noticing that the marks on him looked worse in here than they had in the real world. “Can you hear me, Jared?” he asked, needing to be certain they could communicate and that Jared knew this wasn’t part of his mind. “Do you know this is real and that I’m real?”

“No.” Jared’s voice was whisper soft, raw from too many days of screaming and of having his mouth used in vile ways. “Not…real.”

“You heard me before in your head. So you know on some level that I found you. And yeah, I acted like a total asshole at first, but I finally got my head out of my ass and brought you home where you will be safe. You are safe from Morgan, Jared,” Jensen ached for the loss he could sense in this boy, the pain, and it got worse when he realized that it had become much worse when Jared realized that he thought he’d left on his own.

“I messed up, Jared. I’m vampire enough to admit when I’m wrong and I was hugely wrong this time. Chris always told me that some day I was going to judge too rashly and I did. I judged you too rashly. I let my own hurt cloud my better judgment and I believed the lies my own head told me even when my heart was saying something totally different.” He made no move to touch the boy next to him as if knowing it was too soon for contact given the abuse suffered at the hands of Morgan and his cronies. “You asked me how old I was but didn’t ask any other questions about how I came to be this way or why I was the way I was when I tried so hard to scare you the first moments he met.”

“Not…business.” Jared was either dropping words or his voice was so soft it was hard to hear them with his face still buried against his knees, bruised arms trying to hold them as he began to rock himself. “Just a wh…”

“You are not just a whore. Didn’t we already have this discussion?” Jensen was now outlawing that word, an unfamiliar feeling flickering through him every time he heard it. “Didn’t we agree that one of your personal rules would be never to call yourself that?”

There was what sounded like a brutal sob as Jared’s shoulders shook even harder and Jensen swallowed hard when he realized the cause; Jared was fighting not to cry.

“Can’t have rules,” the boy’s muffled voice replied, weak fingers digging into his own arms until Jensen knew he’d leave new marks. “He’ll…he’ll hurt me again. They’ll hurt me and…I wanna die, Jensen.”

Hearing his name told Jensen that Jared was aware of him but was still afraid to believe he was safe or trust him given his earlier outburst. The last comment however caught the vampire’s attention and also his concern. “You don’t mean that, _cher_.” The response was normal as he could sense how weak Jared was and how scared the boy was of Morgan and the possibility of even worse things to come. “Being dead isn’t a good thing, trust me.”

“It’s…gotta be…better than…being used by him or…those…other people,” Jared countered softly, still refusing to look up or move. “I…I accepted being used as a whore back when I was a kid but…what they did…what he let ‘em, told ‘em to do to me with those toys and…stuff to make me…not even human…I’d rather slit my own throat than let ‘em do that to me again.” He broke off with a harsh sob, fingers letting go of his arms to slid back and grab at his hair. “If I could, I’d shave this off so no one could grab it and use it like a leash. I…”

“Jay, stop.” Jensen was now feeling all the despair, fear, and shame this boy was feeling. “Please, let me help you.”

“Why would you want to?” Jared suddenly demanded, bitterness showing in his still soft, raw voice. He lifted his head just enough to stare at Jensen with wide, wet, fearful eyes. “You hate me! You…believed I left! You didn’t even look, did you? You just thought I was like all the rest! You said so. You said I was just like all the other whores so why do you want to pretend to help me now? So you can own me instead of Mr. Morgan? So I can be your private fuck toy just like…like…no! No, get that away!”

Jensen was impressed that despite his injuries, despite being so scared, Jared still recalled his words earlier in the night and still had it in him to toss them back at him. He was trying to find a way to break into the wild rant when suddenly terror swept through Jared and he began to try to scramble away from whatever it was that was scaring him when Jensen felt it…heard it.

The growl was from less than two feet away and from something much larger than any of the dogs that had been playing in the park.

Moving quickly to put a comforting hand on Jared’s shoulder, Jensen felt the boy jerk at the touch but knew the fear wasn’t of him but rather of the memories of being touched. Jensen also knew the boy was frightened of the large pure black wolf that stood mere feet from them, snarling menacingly at Jensen while shooting mocking thoughts at Jared to undermine any courage the young man might have been finding.

“Huh, so Stella was right and Morgan does have a _Bokor_ on the payroll.” Jensen sensed the dark magic, could feel it shooting out at Jared, trying to hurt him even more, and he stepped in between the wolf and Jared to offer a slow smirk. “Are you trying to find him, devil? Are you looking for Jared so your boss can hurt him more than he already has? You think because you touched him with your magic before, making him into Morgan’s own lifeless little zombie, that you can latch onto him now and lead your friends to him, to take him back to that hell?”

The wolf’s teeth snapped and it snarled at Jensen as cold, evil magic flew out to scare what the evil Voodoo priest’s astral projection saw as a minor annoyance; he obviously expected this man to feel its power and abandon the whelp. It was not expecting the wave of power that was sent right back at it or the way green eyes began to change color as fangs were allowed to show.

“You so do not want to play the fearsome wolf card with me, _Bokor_ , because I can throw it right back at you. In fact,” Jensen didn’t even consider the risk of what he was about to do or that he hadn’t done this in a number of years when he heard Jared’s frightened voice slipping away as if just the sight of this thing was causing him to revert into the mindless sub space that Morgan wrongly preferred his people to be. “You dared to enter his dreams while I was with him? It’s not just Jared’s mind space you entered, but one created by my power and it’s my power that you’ll face now.”

Jensen had been in his 15th year as a vampire when he learned about one of the powers that his new status granted him. It wasn’t one he used often since he really did hate transforming; plus he believed bats were stereotypical Hollywood crap. But on the rare occasion that he did transform, he could do so impressively and he did so now, shifting easily from vampire to wolf while also sending his thoughts out to Stella to tell her what was happening.

Meanwhile out in the real world, the change in Jensen didn’t go unnoticed by those pacing the room. “What the hell just happened?” Chris Kane was growling, eyes going dark the moment he sensed something different. “Jensen’s smell, his whole aura, it just went wild.”

“He shifted to wolf.” Stella had picked up the warning and was rapidly working to counter the evil being working from elsewhere in the city. “Morgan’s sent his own Bokor to try to hunt the boy in his dreams, seeking to find his location. Jensen’s shifted.”

“Jensen can’t shift forms while he’s in mental form!” Chris snapped, wondering if pounding his head into the wall would help his building migraine. “He has no control when in wolf form! That’s why he doesn’t shift, Stella! The vampire loses himself in the transformation. Jensen loses himself and if he gets angry he could turn on that kid without meaning to! Tell him I said to shift back right the fuck now!”

The older woman merely gazed at the furious vampire. “Jensen’s beyond listening to me now, Christian. He’s gone into protect mode. His vampire side has chosen to accept this boy as Jensen’s whether he knows it yet or not and he will kill to protect what it deemed as his.”

“Crap!” Chris groaned, seeing Chad in the door and knowing he understood the hassle this was going to cause them in the long run. “Help him as much as you can. I’ll go put a bug in Beaver’s ear to maybe find a way to hassle Morgan’s operation while we work on freeing Jared from him.”

Stella planned to do just that. She was still working on healing Jared as best as she could right then. Now she reached for another satchel to draw things from with plans to counter dark magic with light. “You will not claim the boy.” She spoke to the room but sent it out to be picked up by those that could hear.

Jensen felt the evil dimming which told him that Stella had done something to try to buffer Jared’s thoughts from the intrusion, but he knew in the end that it would have to be him that would block any unwanted invasions like this again; if he could get Jared to trust him that is.

Right then he was focused on the snarling black wolf that seemed to be shocked at his transformation into a sleek but powerful silver wolf.

‘ _Your magic is strong right now because you worked it on him there, but this is my power shielding him now and my power you’ll face if you take one step toward him_.’ Jensen allowed his thoughts to go out, ears prickling at the sounds coming from behind him and fighting the building urge to lunge and rip into what he saw as a huge threat to Jared. ‘ _Leave now but take this message back to Morgan. Jared will be free. He will never go back to him, and he will never be touched like that bastard touched him. I will make certain of that. I will make damn certain to ruin him if he doesn’t leave well enough alone and let Jared go_.’

‘ _A little white witch and some parlor magic from an arrogant vampire don’t frighten me, boy. My Master will have his property back soon. The question will be how much of your blood will be shed when he does as Mr. Morgan doesn’t take kindly to someone else trying to own what is his already._ ’ The thoughts sent back were thick and heavy in the dialect of the bayou which told Jensen how dark a magic he was dealing with but as Jared suddenly sobbed his name out, his choice was made and he used the power in this wolf form’s hind legs to lunge.

The move took the arrogant larger wolf by surprise and it tried to jump back but couldn’t avoid the sharp claws that caught a glancing blow on its snout, causing it to yelp loudly and snarl. It was crouching as if to attack when a blast of warm air shot through the park to shake the trees violently. A whistling sound from the wind hurt the dark wolf’s ears but didn’t bother Jensen who noticed a few of the other animals in the park were moving toward Jared as if seeking to protect him.

‘ _I will not ever own Jared. I will take him as mine only if offers himself to me freely, but I will never take him or change him without his consent._ ’ Jensen was able to sense a change to the atmosphere around them and guessed Stella must have worked some heavy mojo to cause it.

‘ _You don’t even know the trouble that whelp is, vampire. He’s long past saving. His soul was tainted years ago. Mr. Morgan was just making use of what he saw as his only available skill.’_ The wolf’s lips curved into what might have been a sneer but as Jensen began to growl, it turned to vanish in a gust of smoke.

Jensen stayed where he was for several more seconds to make sure the offending wolf image was gone before he turned and froze.

He was silently hoping that Jared had been too lost into his fear to notice this change because while not being scared of vampires was one thing, it would be quite another to realize that on top of everything else that the vampire in question could turn into a large furry beast twice the size of any large dog.

He was hoping to shift back before Jared could notice what had just gone on, but the moment he turned and his darker than usual green eyes locked on wide, startled, wet with tears hazel ones, Jensen knew that hope was dashed. He could now only hope that this wasn’t what freaked the boy out.

“You…you scared him away,” Jared whispered. He sounded stunned as he tried to think back to what he’d just seen and what it meant.

He’d felt all the same terror as he had back there at the sight of the wolf. Jared had known what it was and who’d sent it and it had scared him to think that not even his thoughts were really safe from Morgan and his people.

Jared had nearly let those fears take charge as he tried to get away. He knew he couldn’t let that wolf near him because if the evil man got close to him in any form, he’d lose himself even more than the drugs in his blood were making him. He’d been trying to get up, planning to try to run, when suddenly all the cold evil he felt hitting him was blocked and he heard Jensen’s voice speaking.

Jared had heard the ice cold hard no nonsense tone that he thought he’d heard Jensen use earlier with the enforcer. That tone was aimed at the wolf as he stepped between them and suddenly Jared’s blurry attention thought of the danger the vampire had just placed himself in when he watched something truly amazing.

He’d watched Jensen’s long, lean body shimmer slightly before his tired, blurry eyes as it took on another form: a large wolf, sleek and powerful, with long silky silver fur. The magnificent animal planted itself in between Jared and the opposing wolf.

Jared had watched, stunned but still afraid, as the two wolves glared at one another before Jensen had suddenly lunged. He’d heard the other wolf yelp and wondered what was being said because it wasn’t as easy to ‘hear’ Jensen when he was like this.

The warm powerful wind blew through the park, and whether it was the obvious power behind that wind or Jensen that scared the other wolf, it finally went away. Now Jared was staring into wary green eyes as he tried to sit back up from where he’d curled under the tree with several of the imagined dogs in the park forming a protective line close to him.

It had stunned him that Jensen had stood up for him, had protected him when he thought he hated him or…

‘ _I don’t hate you, Jay_.’ Jensen’s voice projected in his mind as he took a step closer but stayed in wolf form for the moment as their eyes held. _‘I was angry, yes. I didn’t understand what had happened and jumped to the wrong conclusions.’_

“You…clawed him.” Jared was still numb, still frightened and confused but he felt himself seeking to move a little closer to the sleek silver form. He could see the tension under that thick fur but could almost tell Jensen was as nervous as Jared guessed he should be.

‘ _He threatened you. He scared you_ ,’ Jensen replied as if his reasons were simple. He knew he should switch back but a piece of him thought it was better for Jared to see he wasn’t at risk from the wolf any more than he was from the vampire. ‘ _I would’ve ripped his damn throat out if Stella hadn’t chosen to make the wind blow with that sound. I won’t let anyone hurt you, Jared. I promised you safety once and I’ll promise it again. If you’ll let me help you after I frightened you the way I did_.’

“Why?” Jared couldn’t understand. Even before he thought Jensen hated him, he feared he’d be disgusted and ashamed by what had happened to him, by the things he’d done, so he was at a true loss to Jensen’s motives. “He’ll never let me go, Jensen. He’ll kill me or I’ll kill myself before he lets me go. He’ll sell me to someone in another state, even another country, if he thinks I might escape him or he’ll hurt…oh my God!” He went pale as his dark eyes grew huge. “You turned. You let his witch doctor or whatever he is see what you are. He’ll know you’re a…he’ll use that…he’ll…it’s my fault…I never said anything to him. I wouldn’t answer his…but he’ll…”

‘ _Jared, stop_.’ Jensen heard the panic even as he picked up the faster heart rate and sought to cut it off. ‘ _I knew the risks when I changed. Either way, he would’ve learned I was more than human because I would not have let him touch you here, and I will protect you out there as you heal from this, but right now I need you to calm down before Stella or Chris thinks I’ve done something wrong to you again_.’

“He might tell people what you are!” Jared was close to tears again as he got close enough for his fingertips to slip through silky fur. “They might stake you or…”

‘ _Jay_!’ Jensen made another note to sit Jared down to discuss fact and fiction but for that moment he moved a little closer to let Jared’s hands touch him because he could feel some of the fear easing with each touch. “ _I’ve lived nearly 200 years and have dealt with assholes looking to out me for something, either being a vampire or gay, but I accept the risks_.’ He gently moved his head to let his nose touch Jared’s cheek when he lowered his head, feeling shaking stiff fingers run through his fur as if to seek comfort. ‘ _I accepted those risks now…for you_.’

“Why?” Jared asked again, voice breaking. He could feel tears threatening when he’d tried so hard to keep the full scope of his fears and emotions from coming out, and those emotions made him feel even more ashamed.

‘ _Because I…_ ’ Jensen had to pause a second but knew the answer wouldn’t change. ‘ _Because I love you and I’ll protect what’s mine no matter the risk.’_ He wished he could’ve waited to reveal this to Jared when they could touch each another and actually speak but again the vampire seemed to feel from Jared’s thoughts and emotions that he needed to hear those words right then even if he naturally doubted them. ‘ _You can feel my heart right now as well as hear my thoughts, darlin’. Listen and look now and you can see that I’m telling you the truth. Jared? Let me change back or…’_

“You…” Jared’s eyes went even wider, too shocked to realize he’d stopped shaking as he realized he suddenly could feel Jensen again and that he could feel his feelings for him. “You…but you don’t know anything about me,” he argued, needing to try to protect Jensen if he could from whatever would come from this.

‘ _True, but you don’t know everything about me either_ ,’ Jensen returned, sitting still to allow Jared to adjust to this news at his own speed while wishing he could touch the young man.

“I’m…I’m not good enough for you,” Jared tossed back, feeling warm for the first time in days despite knowing his recovery was going to be long and hard. “I’m not like you.”

‘ _That is totally true, given that you’re a human and I’m a vampire_.’ Jensen felt the frown more than saw it since Jared had buried his face against the fur of his neck while weak arms suddenly wrapped around him. ‘ _But you are good enough for me or else I wouldn’t have been drawn to you as strongly as I was that first night. You were in my heart from the moment you collapsed into my arms, Jay._ ’

“He’ll never let me go, Jensen.” Jared’s voice was muffled but it was getting harder to hold everything in as he began to flash again on the memories, the feelings while also feeling the strength in Jensen, the love that was now stronger than his fears of more pain and humiliation. “He…I’m not strong enough to survive it again. Please…God, Jen…please help me.”

That was it. Jared’s voice broke on that sobbed plea and everything he’d been pushing down, all the numb pain, the fear, the shame and memories came pouring out as he felt safe for the moment; he buried his face into thick soft fur to let the tears and sobs pour free.

It broke Jensen’s formerly hard heart to hear such pain, to be able to feel it as this broken young man clung to him. He held himself still to let Jared cling to him, using whatever link they seemed to have to try to soothe what he could at that moment.

Jensen nuzzled Jared’s hair as a way to help calm him. He listened to every word Jared sobbed out of the horrific time spent as a basic zombie who was used in ways that turned Jensen’s stomach even in this form.

‘ _I will, Jared. I will help you. I will keep you safe_ ,’ he promised thickly, emotions making it hard to control his thoughts. He needed to change back and was about to tell Jared that when he heard a soft voice speaking to him.

“Jen? Can…can you hold me please?” Jared had felt safe with the wolf but now he needed to feel the strength in Jensen’s arms as he battled the feelings still plaguing him.

The question was barely out of his mouth before Jared felt a shudder, an odd little buzz along his skin and then he was being pulled into strong arms to be held tightly as warm lips brushed over his cheek while a soft deep drawl was heard in his ear rather than in his mind.

“I’ll always hold you, _cher_.” Jensen closed his eyes against the wave of emotions pouring off of Jared. “I will get you over this and you will be safe,” he promised.

“Where…where are we?” Jared asked after several moments of silence, a warm breeze blowing around them as the park once again seemed to be moving normally but the animals still stayed close by. “Here…or…wherever?”

Jensen felt Jared’s strength leaving him so he knew he’d have to get him to wake up soon, but for the moment he was content to just sit and hold the young man, rocking him slowly without realizing it. “This is a safe spot in your mind. My power was able to shift us here so that I could try to talk to you, to tell you that you were and are safe and that you’ll probably still be in pain when you wake up.” He wished that wasn’t the case but could hear Stella telling him things.

“In the real world, you’re in my arms, in my bed, in my home with a cranky old woman yelling at me that Chris is yelling at her because it’s taking me so long to convince you to trust me.” He quirked his lips up as Jared slowly raised his head to look at him with heavy lidded eyes that were bruised from lack of sleep and shadows. “Can I take you back so I can help you to heal and start to get this fixed?”

“How…you’ve…seen what happened?” Jared asked slightly nervous, eyes dropping until a hand cupped his jaw. “Everything?”

“I’ve seen most of it,” Jensen nodded, quick to shake his head to reassure the young man. “Shhh, I am not ashamed of you, Jared. You had no control over any of that. You couldn’t fight and I’m sorry I was so childish or I could’ve helped you.”

Jared laid his head back on Jensen’s shoulder, closing his eyes. “You couldn’t have found me,” he murmured, sleepy but still afraid. “No one can find his hidden farm. He’s proud of that. Just glad you found me tonight, Jen.”

“So am I, darling,” Jensen whispered, pressing his lips to Jared’s temple. He hated to bring the boy more worries but knew he needed to warn him. “Jared? You’re still heavily drugged and even with healing you are still hurt, so the next few days won’t be easy but I promise that I will help you. We will protect you.”

“Don’ let go yet?” Jared yawned, scared of what he’d face next, but for the moment, he was content to lie in Jensen’s arms. “So sleepy, Jen.” He used the nickname naturally and had no idea how rare it was for Jensen to allow its use. “Couldn’t sleep there.”

“I won’t let go,” Jensen assured him, allowing his power to go out to soothe Jared while working his mind and body back to a state that he could wake up. “You sleep now, darlin’. I’ll be with you or close to you when you wake up. We’ll talk more then.”

Jared nodded, half asleep when he opened one eye. “Jensen?” he asked, going on at the soft hum he got in return. “This wolf thing? Can you do it in the real world too?”

“I can but I don’t shift normally cause it’s hard for me to control the wolf,” Jensen replied, curious. “Why? Did you feel afraid of it?”

“No, I knew you wouldn’t hurt me.” Jared was so sleepy that he didn’t know he was speaking freely again. “I was…just wondering if sometime if…I was scared…if…never mind.”

Shifting wasn’t something most vampires liked to do, especially to that form, but as Jensen listened to the soft shake and realized what was silently being asked, he made another rare decision. “I’ll shift and stay with you if you’re really scared, darlin’,” he nodded, adding softly. “Go to sleep now. I will make this right…no matter what.”

Jared’s body slowly stilled in his arms, sleep taking his mind under while Jensen’s power did the rest. He let Jared rest in the astral place for another hour before slowly letting the real world seep back in and immediately let out a growling hiss at the people he could sense were too close to Jared for his comfort.

“Jensen?” Stella was there but far enough back in case the protective vampire reacted violently. “You had us worried, chile.”

Opening his eyes, Jensen blinked until the room cleared. He acknowledged the older healer, but it was a grim faced Chris and a worried Chad he pinned while letting his fingers card back through Jared’s hair to soothe the sleeping boy. “Nobody gets close to him,” he ordered, voice low, gravelly from lack of use even though he didn’t know how long he’d been out. “Morgan’s gonna be looking for him, but make damn sure he doesn’t find him.”

The rest went unnoticed as Jensen’s eyes drifted to Jared’s still pale, battered face to see he still had the wounds even if some weren’t as bad. “Love you, Jared,” he whispered, ignoring Stella and Danneel’s questions as he let himself drift off to recharge before he had to deal with the fallout of his actions later.

**TBC**


	6. Chapter 6

**Eternal Love**

**Chapter Six**

“Jared Tristan Padalecki was born in Texas 22 years ago to hardworking Catholic parents. He had a normal childhood, pretty much what any little kid could hope for. When his Dad lost his job, they struggled, but things still seemed pretty stable for the kid. It wasn’t until his Mom got cancer and passed away that the real nightmares for your boy began.”

Justin Hartley was a Private Investigator that Jensen often employed for various reasons. The man had long since stopped caring that his employer was a vampire; after all, he’d been born and raised in the Big Easy and had quickly learned they were just as common-place as tourists.

Most of his jobs just involved making sure everyone on the payroll was doing what he or she needed to be doing; sometimes he spent time looking into things or people that Jensen might become involved with. He thought when he got this case plopped on his desk that it would be the same, just a quick background check…until he learned of the involvement of one Jeffrey Dean Morgan; then the risk as well as the headaches increased.

“Nutshell it for me. I need to be with him when the next spell hits him since he still isn’t with it enough to allow anyone else to touch him,” Jensen instructed while leafing through the very thin file to pick up a photo of a young Jared with shadows of fear in big eyes even then. “He had good grades right up until the time he dropped out?”

“Yeah – it looks like his step-mother pulled him from school and started moving around so CPS couldn’t pin her down. Apparently there was a maternal grandmother and an aunt who had found out what might have been going on and were trying to get custody of the boy.” Justin leaned back in his chair to gaze at his frequent client with curiosity.

In all the time he’d known Jensen, the vampire had always been cool and poised. Whether he was well dressed or casually dressed, he always had an air of control that showed the power he had over both his holdings in the city and himself. That day however, Justin had been shocked when Chad showed him into the office and he found a very different Jensen pacing in front of the desk and growling at a small older woman who Justin recognized as a popular healer from down in the Quarter.

“What’s wrong with him? Why’d he seize like that when he first tried to wake up? Why’s he look like he has more wounds now than he did when I went into his mind? What the hell, Stella?” Jensen was demanding as he stalked his office restlessly; every part of him wanted to be back in his bedroom with Jared.

“Jensen, I told you that healing that boy wouldn’t be a quick process,” Stella huffed in mild annoyance; she didn’t appreciate being pulled away from her patient. “He’s suffered wounds both internally and externally that will need time and patience to heal from. In addition to that, he’s coming down from that horrid drug and whatever else that evil man used on him,” she told the upset vampire. “The seizures are a result of everything his body is going through right now. Sleep is best since when he rests my magic can work deeper but…”

“But?” Jensen pounced on that while sensing Justin’s arrival but chose to ignore the human for the moment. “But what?” he demanded. “Tell me so I don’t get a shock and try to throw someone out a window.”

“When he is awake, even if it appears he’s sleeping or unable to communicate with you verbally, you need to start helping him to heal. Let him start to relearn how to be touched, to be spoken to like a human.” Stella laid a hand on a tensing arm to urge calm. “Keep hold of your temper because he can feel your emotions. He trusts you still or else he wouldn’t respond to you like he did earlier when you calmed him down. Now you speak to that annoying PI you hired while I go sit with him.”

Jensen didn’t want to speak with Justin. He didn’t want to deal with business, but knew he needed this information so he reluctantly took a seat behind his desk to eye the tall slender blond man. “Chris said you found out something about Jared before he came here. Tell me.”

Now he was looking through a very thin file containing the story of the sad childhood of a loving, happy boy pulled down by abuse and who must have lost himself to lies and pain.

“His stepmother abused him?” Jensen’s eyes narrowed on a faded photograph of a rough looking woman with too much make-up, too little clothes and a hard smile. “What about the father?”

“Lost himself to the bottle after Jared’s mother died. From what little the old neighbors could remember, once he started to drink, he stopped caring about anything, including his son,” Justin replied, tapping a pen on the file. “One very outspoken little old lady recalled vividly the second Mrs. Padalecki and had some definite opinions of her and what she did to ‘that poor little angel.’” He smirked as Jensen’s eyes lifted. “The people in the neighborhood knew, or at least suspected, that she was abusing the kid. One guy I talked to in a bar was drunk enough that he helpfully admitted that once Mr. Padalecki died, the wife pimped the son out for booze or money. It got worse when she discovered he was gay.”

“Oh, that poor kid!” Danneel gasped from where she sat, not caring for these so-called parents. “How old was he when she first abused him?”

“Young,” Justin answered grimly, going on. “I ran her name and there are reports on her as long as the bayou. It looks like cops in various states and counties suspected her of abusing kids she watched while working as a babysitter, but there was never enough evidence to make the charges stick, so she kept moving on…then she met Jared’s dad in a bar and found the perfect set-up.”

“A drunken father who had lost interest and a cute kid with no other protection,” Chris Kane sneered, leaning over the desk to eye the old photos. “Why didn’t the grandmother or aunt move in sooner? Why wait? And where have they been all the rest of his life?”

Justin moved some papers to show other notes, knowing his time was limited since Jensen’s eyes kept moving to the door leading to the master bedroom. “I went to Dallas to speak with the aunt, the mother’s sister, and it seems things became more complicated once it got out to their lawyer that Jared was gay. The step-mother claimed that he had been selling himself for money.” He heard a low sound that meant Jensen was gritting his teeth. “The step-mother wasn’t going to give up what she saw as her perfect little money-maker, so she twisted everything around to make it look like Jared was a willing party in every act or deal. Everyone in the family is a strict Catholic so…”

“So they immediately changed their mind about helping a helpless, confused young man.” Jensen never failed to be both amused and disgusted by mortals and their snap judgments, though he knew he’d made several snap judgments as well recently that he’d never be able to make up for. “When did he get away?”

“He ran away shortly after his 18th birthday,” Justin replied, pulling out another file and smirking slightly. “It seems like he stole a hundred bucks from her. She tried to file a complaint but dropped it when the local cops began asking questions like why her step-son would feel the need to run away given that he was of legal age. I think that’s when he came here to New Orleans.”

Jensen looked over the little bits of paper, notes, statements and other things Justin had managed to find. It wasn’t much unless you knew what to look for and as someone who’d lived as long as he had, Jensen knew what to look for.

He took in that Jared was a smart, sensitive boy whose life had literally turned to hell after he’d already been shattered and confused by the death of probably the only person in his life to show him true love. He took in that a naïve, confused boy had been sexually, mentally and physically abused by someone he should’ve been able to trust while his father chose booze over his own flesh and blood.

Jensen also took in the reason behind Jared’s lack of self-confidence and the way he believed this life was all he was worth. It also told the vampire how he’d fallen so easily into Morgan’s web of lies to become trapped as one of his street workers. What he still did not understand was the man’s obsession with Jared. Morgan Escorts employed a lot of workers, illegal and legal, so there was certainly no lack of available boys at Morgan’s disposal. There had to be something else that made the grizzled older man so determined to keep Jared…and also turn him into much more than a casual hooker.

“What about since then?” he asked, noticing that there was very little information since he’d arrived in the city. “Could you find anything out about his time here?”

“You know people are scared of Morgan, Jensen.” Justin sighed and shook his head. “All I do know is that he was only here a few weeks before he caught the wrong kind of attention. He did have a job and a small one room apartment, but once Morgan decided he wanted him, all of that went away. Despite his past, somehow the kid was too innocent and was probably sucked into hell before he realized the truth about who and what that asshole really was.”

“So out of all the people Morgan has, why is he obsessing over Jared?” Chad asked from the other side of the room. “I mean, guys like him corrupt the young and innocent all the time but they don’t normally go to the lengths that he has with this kid.”

Jensen had a cold feeling that he knew part of the reason Morgan was so determined to turn Jared into more than a casual street worker. “His innocence.” He looked up while crunching a paper in his hand, ears picking up a sound that only he heard. “He’s had him under his thumb for four years if we go by Justin’s reports, and in so many ways Jared has managed to hold onto the innocent boy he was. The streets, the abuse, somehow it hasn’t hardened him yet.”

“That doesn’t explain why the bastard did what he did this time,” Chris returned, still furious at the few details he’d picked up.

“Yes, it actually does.” Jensen stood up even before they all heard Stella calling for him. “He wants to own him. He wants the perfect slave for his sick fantasies. He thinks he can turn a naïve, innocent boy into something less than human to make him easier to control. He’ll move from threats, abuse, and drugs to more violent things. He will literally cause Jared to lose his humanity if he can.”

“If he’s that intent, then he won’t be willing to give him up easily.” Danneel frowned at that. “He’ll do whatever it takes to get him back, Jensen.”

“Let him try,” Jensen replied coolly, eyes hard as he moved toward the bedroom, indicating that the meeting was over and he had more important things to care for. “Jared no longer belongs to him, and if anyone on my staff wants to disagree with my stance on this subject, then tell them they’re free to leave my employment before I find out about it.”

At that Jensen left the room to head for the master bedroom where now the soft sounds could even be heard by the lone mortal in the room.

“So that leaves us to find a way to free the kid from Morgan’s control without causing an all-out war.” Chris sat on the edge of the desk to eye the private investigator. “How hard would it be for you to find something to use to get him to back off? Or maybe find a weakness I can use to convince him that letting Jared go would be better in the long run?”

Justin nearly laughed until he realized the gruff speaking vampire was serious. “Kane, Jeffrey Dean Morgan doesn’t have a weakness that anyone alive has ever spoken of,” he argued. “If he is as obsessed with this kid as you seem to think, then he will come at Jensen will all he can, legal or illegal. He won’t care about the rumors of Jensen being less than human because he will see Jensen as a threat to what he considers his property.”

“Jensen’s already got some kind of link with Jared. He may or may not be planning to turn him…I haven’t had the guts to ask him about that one yet. It doesn’t really matter because either way it’s plain that the boss cares for that human boy more than he has anyone in over a hundred years.” Chris eyed those in the room with him, vampire and human. “Our job right now is making sure no one learns where that kid is until Jensen can get him over what that goddamn asshole voodoo guy did to him.

“We’ll dig into Jared’s past here in the city, find out who helped Morgan get him, see if we can find a way to get him out. If anyone in this room has issues with Jensen’s choice then I suggest you follow his orders and leave now because if anyone screws him over or betrays him, I suggest you don’t do it,” the bodyguard growled lowly, nodding when he was certain his point was made.

Leaving Justin with Danneel to decide what else he needed to do, Chris motioned Chad to come with him and they headed for the master bedroom. They could hear Jensen’s voice speaking in the low, soothing drawl he only used with Jared while Stella could be heard muttering in whatever language she used when either angry or working.

“Shhh, calm down, _cher_. I know it’s scary and I know you still hurt, but I need you to calm back down and relax for me.” Jensen hadn’t managed to reach the bedroom before Jared’s panic at waking up disoriented and still basically paralyzed hit fully. Now Jensen was struggling to help Jared control the panic and the mild seizure the drugs in his system kept causing. “Jay, look at me.”

“His eyes are still cloudy from their poison, Jensen.” Stella decided it was time to increase her magic if she was going to counter the evil effects from the _bokor._ “He might not be able to see you as much as sense and hear you. Just talk to him, make him feel safe by reassuring him that he is safe with you.”

“He knows he’s safe with me, don’t you, Jay?” Jensen sensed the others nearby and shot a silent command to stay back and quiet. He lightly pressed one hand to a cold, clammy cheek while using his other to gently card back through damp hair as a fever raged through Jared. “Soon, darlin’. I promise soon you’ll be able to speak to me with your voice. Until then, use your thoughts, but keep trying to focus on me. I need you to do what you did in your mind and push past the bad memories that are still trying to hurt you.”

Jared’s breathing was harsh, fast because he’d woken up in both agony and confusion. He could feel the cruel hands, hear the mocking words, but he was able to remind himself faster this time that those were memories and not real.

He did know where he was and who was with him, but he was still scared because his vision was blurry, his brain was foggy, and he couldn’t do more than make soft whimpering sounds and twitch his fingers. It also scared him when his muscles suddenly seized and jerked because he felt helpless to control what was happening to his body…and that reminded him too much of what had been done to him at the hands of Mr. Morgan.

It scared him more when he woke up without Jensen; even though Jared could tell there was always someone with him, he didn’t trust anyone else yet.

The melodic older woman’s voice trying to soothe him when he woke up didn’t help much but just a moment later, a gentle yet firm hand was placed over the center of his chest and he heard that low soothing drawl. Jared drew in a deep breath and tried to calm down.

Now as he tried to do what Jensen asked him to do, Jared could slowly feel his heart slowing down and his breathing leveling off and his thoughts strengthening to where he could feel Jensen’s.

‘ _Scared, Jen_.’ He wasn’t sure how this thought stuff worked, but he immediately felt warmth spread through him as something that he would later realize was Jensen’s thoughts worked to soothe him.

‘ _I know you are, Jay. I know it seems like it’s not getting any better but it is_ ,’ Jensen thought to him silently while still letting Jared hear his voice. He also let his hands move over bruised and battered skin tenderly but paused when Jared tensed subtly. ‘ _That touch you feel on your arm? That’s just me,_ ’ he assured him, hating himself for the fear and pain that Jared had endured to make him scared of such a simple touch. ‘ _If I squeeze your hand, can you feel it_?’

Jared forced his throat to swallow and he felt himself manage to nod which then earned him a soft kiss to his forehead. It was hard for him to tell Jensen that being touched scared him because it made him relive the bad touches; it reminded him of the various racks and things he’d been tied to while used as a tool, but he thought perhaps the vampire understood already when he felt a gentle touch to his face when Jensen spoke out loud again.

“I know what’s making you afraid now, and I know that it’ll take you some time to feel comfortable with being touched in any way, but right now I need you to listen and believe me, Jared.” Jensen made sure to speak this both ways while watching as Stella blew some fragrant smoke toward them and saw a definite change in Jared’s body. “You will never be touched or hurt like that as long as you’re with me, in my home, or under my protection. I will never touch you if you don’t want me to and I will never let anyone else touch you, either. When I do touch you, it will be with respect, kindness, and love.

“I need you to let Stella’s magic, let me, let your own courage begin to remove the taint, the fear they put on you and in you. I need you to believe me when I say that nothing they told you about yourself is true. You are a wonderful, caring, beautiful young man. You are not a tool, a slave, a pet or an animal to be used and abused at someone’s will and fancy.” Jensen’s fingers moved slowly down from Jared’s face to the collar that the boy still wore because every time it was touched Jared would panic and make himself worse.

He tensed as Jensen’s fingers touched it this time too but unlike the other times, this time Jared found the courage, the strength to speak.

“… …h-hurt…”

The barely audible to human ears whisper soft ragged voice took everyone by surprise since they didn’t think Jared could speak yet. They also misunderstood what he meant.

“I know you hurt, Jay,” Jensen said but then frowned as he caught the look on Jared’s face. He heard the same word in his thoughts, and he began to realize that something else was going on…something was _still_ hurting Jared. “What hurts, _cher_?” he asked as Stella blew more of the smoke over them when it became clear that it was helping the boy. “Can you tell me where you hurt so maybe we can make it stop?”

Jared would’ve screamed if he had that much control over his vocal cords as fingers again ran over the collar. He knew Jensen was just trying to help him adjust to someone touching it, touching him, but the vampire didn’t understand that he was causing him more agony every time he touched the collar.

He couldn’t make his lips or throat form words past the torment in his throat, so he resorted to his other way of communicating with Jensen. ‘ _Shock…_ ’ he tried to say silently, thinking he could feel tears leaking from his eyes. ‘ _Shocks… hurts…Jen…col…collar…please…_ ’

Jensen frowned again as he tried to make sense of what Jared was saying, and then suddenly and with horror it all hit him and his eyes flew up. He stared at Jared and saw lashes fluttering as if trying to open while one hand moved weakly, clawing into the bed as if in pain. “Jared? Squeeze my hand if you can or try to say one word, yes or no. Is this goddamn collar shocking you every time I touch it?” he asked tightly, feeling Chris coming closer as even Stella stopped what she was doing. “Jay? Is it? Is that what hurts right now?”

“… …Y-yes,” Jared gasped out, wanting to beg Jensen to both get it off and leave it alone. He felt a quick flash of rage, but even before he could think to be scared of that, it was gone and then so was the collar around his throat. “Jen…”

“Shhh, I have you, Jared. I have it.” Jensen’s fingers had become a blur as soon as he had realized the truth. He had the collar’s locks broke and the accursed thing off of a pale, badly bruised throat in under a second and he hurled the despised object across the room with a snarl. “Get that goddamn thing out of this room! Get it away from him!” he snapped at Chris and Chad while quickly looking at the deep welts, bruises, and, burns marring Jared’s throat. “Stella?”

“Calm him, child. I’ll dress the burns when he’s sleeping again. For now, calm him down. Reassure him that he’s safe, that he won’t be harmed for taking that evil thing off. Make sure he understands that he will never be forced to wear such a thing again.” The healer spoke softly despite her anger at how such cruelty actually still existed in this modern world.

Jensen’s stomach was in knots. He was furious with himself for causing, even unintentionally, Jared more pain by touching that collar or even leaving it on for as long as he had. He forced his voice and touch to be gentle when he reached out to touch Jared again, but he hesitated. “Can I touch you, Jay?” he asked, needing to make Jared understand he had choices. “Can I hold you a little?”

“… …Yes,” Jared whispered, not noticing that his voice, while still strained, was a bit easier to hear as he was lifted into strong arms and held tenderly, weak fingers trying to curl into the soft material he could feel under them. “S…scared.”

“I know you are, darlin’,” Jensen wished he could take that away but knew all he could do was hold and soothe for the moment. “You’re safe, Jay. Morgan will never hurt you. You’re free of him, but while I can say it and I can tell you these things, you need to be able to say it yourself and believe it. But for now, just rest. Go back to sleep and I will be here when you wake up again,” he promised.

Jared didn’t want to go back to sleep. When he slept fully, he often dreamed of the horror he’d gone through. This time, however, as he felt himself drifting, he suddenly struggled to force his eyes to open, to try to look at Jensen; he felt his breath catch when he his lids opened enough to see blurry color come more into view than before.

“Free?” he whispered, the word seeming odd to him. It also scared him because he knew Morgan would never willingly let him go.

“Of Morgan? Yes, you’re free of him,” Jensen assured him, ignoring Chris’s look. “I will find a way to make sure you’re free of him. I will protect you from him no matter what he tries to do.”

The pain seemed to be dimming, but he was also tired and unsure, so right then all Jared could do was nod. He let his eyes close with the hope that maybe the next time he woke, he’d be more alert and free of the voodoo spells and drugs. “Love…you,” he mumbled.

Jensen knew that would have eyebrows lifting, but instead of shrugging it off or remaining quiet as Jared drifted off, he lightly stroked the back of his knuckles down a bruised cheek and smiled softly. “Love you, too, Jay,” he returned, closing his eyes to give a light touch of his power to help Jared sleep in peace, to further erase the horrid memories. “Shut up.” He aimed this at the other two vampires in the room while Stella began to treat the wounds on Jared’s neck.

“You know you could help him.” Chris spoke from where he stood near the bed, but still keeping his distance because he noticed that the boy kept flinching at the sound of his voice, as if still not sure about anyone else being close to him right then. “You could take his pain, or at the very least help him, so he could get over this drug quicker.”

“No,” Jensen refused flatly. He’d already been over the pros and cons of that option with himself every time Jared whimpered in pain or sobbed silently in fear and pain. “You know why I won’t do that.”

“Jensen, it’s not like you’d be turning him,” Chad put in. “A little of your blood would just help him to heal naturally. It would cut his recovery time in half, and like Chris says, it would at least help him get over the drug so he can see you and talk to you…maybe move a little more easily than he can on his own, even with the help of Stella’s mojo bags.”

Jensen shot both a hard scowl, fingers slowly carding through long dark hair still wet from sweating through the fever as Jared’s body fought drugs, withdrawal, pain, and infection. “The risk to him…I can’t do that to him.”

“Jensen, he knows what you are. He’s not afraid of you. Why don’t you ask him to let you heal him a little, let him make the choice,” Chris argued, deciding to bring up another sore topic since things were already tense. “You also are going to have to eventually make a choice to turn him or let him go anyway. You know none of our kind has ever kept a human lover very long.”

“I will not turn him.” Jensen’s tone was tight. “He’s too young to be burdened with this life, Chris. I want him to be able to live his life, to travel to places, to see the world. I want to be able to give him life before I would ever choose to take it for any reason.” He looked down to see some of the pain had eased off of Jared’s face, giving him the same boyish innocence he’d had the first night in this bed. “When he wakes again, if the pain gets too bad…I’ll…explain the option to him, I’ll give him a choice to at least ease the most severe symptoms, but that is all.”

Chad opened his mouth, but Chris motioned him to back off. He knew Jensen’s feelings on this topic were strong and he understood them. He’d been there the one and only time Jensen had shared his blood and turned a human. He’d also been there when Jensen had been forced to take the life of that fledging when the power turned out to be too much and the young man had gone dangerously rogue.

“Just think about what you’re risking for him, Jensen.” Chris didn’t want to seem uncaring, but he had to at least try to remind his friend of the dangers he was possibly creating for all of them. “Morgan will not let this boy go without a fight. You could lose all you’ve built for a boy you might not even be able to keep.”

“I’m not ‘keeping’ him, Chris,” Jensen hissed, reaching out with his senses to be sure Jared was asleep; the last thing he wanted was for him to think he was being discussed as an item when Jensen was trying to wipe those thoughts out of the boy’s mind. “Whether or not Jared chooses to stay with me after he’s safe from Morgan will be totally up to him. If he chooses to make a life in some other state or even country, I will respect that choice and will do whatever I can in order to see him safe and happy. I will accept the risks and if you ever think it’s too much then you or any of the others can go on.

“I’m not asking any of you to risk your lives or identities as vampires for something I choose to do. I’m not forcing anyone to stay if you disagree with me. I’ve said that before.” He nodded his thanks to Stella as she finished cleaning and dressing the burns the collar had made before tucking Jared closer into his arms as the woman went back to countering the spells with her own magic.

Chris blew out a breath as Chad snorted something under his breath about ‘over someone’s dead body was he walking out on Jensen now’. “I’m not saying I want out or that I won’t have your, or his, back, Jensen. I’m just trying to be the rational vampire here,” he remarked. “Fine, fine. You stay with him and I’ll make sure things get set in motion to protect him. Hell, maybe I can call in some favors to make Morgan’s life hell; you know, distract the bastard so he has more to worry about than this boy until we’re ready to deal with him.”

“Thank you.” Jensen smiled and ignored the hand gesture he knew was given as Chris dragged Chad towards the door. The two vampires would get things moving and also prepare to have a human living in the house. “Oh, and Chris? You know not to growl if you ever come in here and I’m in wolf form, right?”

That nearly had Chris stumble but he merely paused to roll his neck, a sign he was fighting not to growl right then. “Yeah, and you know why I hate when you shift, right?” he tossed back. “Your control isn’t great in that form.”

“I have more control when he’s with me so it’ll be fine. If he gets too scared, I think he’ll actually feel safer with me in that form,” Jensen shrugged.

Chad smirked on his way out the door. “Dude, your wolf form is one scary thing. Of course he feels safe with it. You guys play nice. I need to send Matt to the store for more food than what we have here and tell the cook to actually cook real stuff. Chris is gonna go and growl at Beaver.”

Jensen stayed quiet for a long time after his friends left. Stella had stepped out to clear her mind and have tea with Danneel. He eventually shifted until he could lie down with Jared curled in his arms. “I’ll protect you, Jared,” he whispered softly, wondering how this innocent boy could have changed his life so quickly and hoping nothing happened to cause either of them to regret it.

The next two weeks were easily the best yet the hardest of Jensen’s long life. Jared’s physical injuries weren’t healing as quickly as he or Stella liked. The healer decided the _bokor’s_ magic had been even stronger than she had initially suspected, and Jared had been so weak that he was having a hard time finding the internal strength to fully combat it.

The seizures had finally stopped, but Jared’s movements were still limited. He couldn’t walk yet on his own and there were times when his right hand would go numb, another effect of the still present voodoo spells that Stella was fighting.

Jared’s voice had returned, but he was still unsure more times than not and would only speak to Jensen vocally if they were alone.

The scars and still present wounds made him shy and even more insecure than he had been, so he often hid if any of the others came into a room, and he still panicked if someone other than Jensen got too close to him.

Jared’s vision had still not fully come back and there were times when it would gray out; those were also the times when he’d begin to shake as memories rushed over him. Jensen learned from an angry Stella that Morgan’s voodoo man was still trying to attack Jared, trying to learn his location because even though he and Jensen’s link kept him from being wide open, there was still a vulnerability that left him open far too often.

It was this vulnerability that finally made up Jensen’s mind about trying the one thing he’d been hesitant to do. He’d been handling a piece of business for one of his companies overseas while Jared had slept one night. He hadn’t sensed any tension and the day had been pretty calm as far as Jared’s healing and recovery went. Jensen hadn’t expected any problems…until Jared suddenly began screaming in his sleep, body thrashing violently as if being physically attacked and the boy’s terror slammed into Jensen through their ever strengthening link.

“Jay!” He was off the phone and by the bed in the time it took Jensen to shout for Chris to find Stella. “Jared! Wake up, darlin’. C’mon now, Jay. Wake up for me.” Jensen caught a waving arm, careful to watch his strength as images flashed and he realized what was happening. “Jared!”

“I have the spell to finally cut off the bokor’s ability to touch him in his dreams, but I need time to cast it.” Stella hurried into the room with a hyper and ready to rip someone apart Chad. “Wake him up Jensen! Get him to hear you and not those memories.”

Jensen had been trying to do that but found it difficult to catch the suddenly weakening thoughts. It was almost as if Jared’s mind was being pulled away like…

“No! You will not take him,” he snarled, eyes glittering as he caught Jared’s face between his palms while using more of his power than he’d ever had to in order to find and grab a weakly grasping thought. “Jay! Reach for me, _cher_ ,” he urged, fearing he might not have the strength to do this when suddenly wide, terrified, glassy eyes snapped open and struggled to find him.

“Jen? Jensen, where are…?” Jared couldn’t wake up fully and was being assaulted from all sides with sounds, smells, and his worst nightmares even though Jensen and the others had been doing their best to help him heal and learn to accept he could be free from them and that life.

He’d been sound asleep, dreaming of Jensen and a life free from fear, free of Jeffrey Dean Morgan and his threats when suddenly he was back in that barn hearing himself scream. Jared had tried to wake up, tried to reach for Jensen’s thoughts, only to be blocked by the sneering old black man with the cruel eyes who had drugged him and done things to him that he hadn’t shared with Jensen yet.

“Your vampire won’t save you this time, boy. You best remember who your master is cause when he finds you, when he brings you back under his thumb, you will deeply regret this disobedience,” he’d sneered as walls began to form around the scared boy even as he tried to fight toward the voice he heard.

Jared could feel himself fading; he could feel his mind being dragged back into those memories, could feel the icy cold touching him when suddenly he felt Jensen’s mind a little more strongly. That gave him the courage to battle free enough to open his eyes only to choke back a ragged scream when all he could see again were shadows.

“Jensen, he’s…I can’t see you again. He’s…trying to…” He could feel Jensen’s hands on him, could feel his body being lifted into strong arms, but everything seemed so far away as if Jared himself was far away from where he wanted to be. “Jen! Help me!”

The fear, terror and finally the break in Jared’s voice tore at Jensen, and he was making his choice even as he was scooping up the 6’4” body into his arms to carry Jared away from the bed and over to the sofa on the other side of the room where Danneel had lit the fire. He didn’t want to do this on the bed he hoped to share with Jared one day.

“Jared, listen to me. Try to stay with me because I need you to be able to say yes or no to this.” Jensen hated this. He did not want to even let this small piece of his life touch Jared, but knew he’d put it off too long and that mistake had placed Jared at even more risk than he had been before.

“Jen, please…please don’t let me go.” Jared’s hands were moving, trying to push at things only he could see, things that were hurting him. Danneel gasped as a cut appeared on Jared’s arm. “Please don’ let him take me, take my mind…don’t let…”

“No one’s taking you anywhere, Jared.” Jensen was aware of Stella but had to focus on what he was doing as he pulled Jared into his arms, trying to see past the shadows in those big hazel eyes. “Jay, I can give you the strength to fight this, to block him from ever touching your mind again. I can heal the worst of these wounds, including clearing whatever is keeping you so weak and shaky.

“I can do this; I can make this bond we have stronger, strong enough that this damn _bokor_ of Morgan’s can never reach you again…but to do that, to give you the ability to heal enough, not fully, but enough so that you’ll be free from his influence…I have to give you some of my blood.” He caught both of Jared’s hands and held them against his chest, feeling his wildly beating pulse through the leather cuffs that so far Jared had refused to let him take-off, as if those long ago learned painful lessons still made him think he’d be punished if he removed them. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Jared was fighting to stay with Jensen despite the pain he was in mentally, the memories of his torture and abuse hitting him violently. He blinked cloudy eyes, flashes of deep green coming to him but he still couldn’t break free fully. “Turn me?”

“No, _cher_. Just taking a little bit of my blood won’t turn you into a vampire,” Jensen was quick to reassure, wishing he had more time to explain fully but could tell he was running out of time; he was losing Jared and could feel it. “To turn you fully I’d have to drink from you first and then give you blood back. This would just be using my blood, a little of it, to help cleanse your system fully of the drugs as well as the power of the voodoo spells as Stella casts her own protection over you.

“I should’ve done this sooner but…I was afraid it would scare you. I need you to trust me, Jared. I need you to believe that no matter what I am, I would not ever do anything to cause you harm. This is the only way to block you from them right now.” He lifted Jared’s face in his palm to feel how cold he was becoming. “Jared! Fight him! I need your permission to do this. I will not give you blood without your permission! Jay? Jared!”

Jared heard the question, heard the plea in Jensen’s unsteady voice and wanted to say yes. He wanted to give the permission his friend was desperately asking him to give, but as he was about to, it felt like something grabbed him by the throat and squeezed.

“Jared!” Jensen felt the body in his arms jerk, saw white in those glassy eyes as Jared began to fight for breath and realized his fear might have just cost Jared not only his life but also his soul. “Jared!”

**TBC**


	7. Chapter 7

**Eternal Love**

**Chapter Seven**

“Jared!”

The moment Jared Padalecki’s cloudy eyes rolled back and his lips began to turn blue was the moment when the gloves came off and Jensen Ackles stopped playing.

“Dani! My desk! Get me that box!” he snapped, moving so Jared was lying on the sofa and he was kneeling on the floor beside him. He kept one hand firmly in the center of the struggling chest while his other cupped the side of Jared’s face until he reached to grab what was held out to him. “I told you once you goddamn bastard that you will not have him. You won’t take away his mind or free will so back the hell off,” he growled lowly, tone dropping to the one that clearly said he was slipping more to vampire. “Jared? Jay, I need you to fight. I need you to remember that you are stronger and that I am with you.”

Jensen took what was in the velvet box and pressed it to his lips before squeezing it into Jared’s clenching fist. “Can you feel what I put in your hand, Jared? I need you to hold onto it. Hold it and feel me in it. Feel me with you now. Hear me as you push off the power keeping you from breathing, keeping you from speaking.” He leaned up to be closer to Jared’s face, watching intently as something Stella did suddenly had the fire flaming to life and a strong breeze blow through the bedroom. “I love you, Jared. I will fight everyone in this city for you, but I need you to do this one thing, _cher_. I need you to say one word, and I will stop that bastard from ever getting in your mind again.”

“Do it anyway,” Chris growled from where he stood near them in case Jensen needed help. “You’ve already made your choice by giving him what you just did so help him!”

“I won’t without his permission” Jensen insisted. He hated that his own moral code might cost Jared his life, but if there were any thing he’d sworn never to do again, this would be it. “I need him to give his permission in some way before I’ll…”

A sudden touch to the hand on Jared’s chest caught his eye, sending Jensen’s focus back to see a change in Jared’s face. His eyes were still wide and cloudy but his breathing had changed subtly and he saw his lips trying to move when Stella’s hand lay over Jared’s head.

“Release him, monster!” she ordered sternly, sprinkling something over Jared from head to toe but paying special attention to his throat. “Release him! You have no claim on him and neither does your master! Release this boy as I send your evil back to you ten-fold!”

A loud crack like a gunshot or thunderclap was heard as flames from the fireplace shot out into the room sending Chad scrambling back with a startled yelp. Jared let out a gasp as the pressure on his throat finally eased up enough that he could draw in a breath.

“… … …Yes!” he gasped out in between struggling breaths. “J-Jen?”

“Trust me, Jay.” Jensen moved as soon as Jared spoke the affirmation. He carefully lifted a weak head while biting his own wrist to allow two small holes to appear, blood immediately welling up in them. “I know this might seem scary and it’s probably one of the few things you’ve seen on TV that I won’t correct you over but just don’t think about how weird it is. Just listen to my voice, my heart, and just relax, Jay.”

Jensen sensed the boy’s fear but felt it was more over being hurt than what he’d just agreed to. “Shhh, you don’t have to do anything but listen to my voice and thoughts. Let your body accept what I offer and the rest will take care of itself,” he murmured softly, concentrating as he let his wrist hover a half inch from Jared’s lips; drops of blood dripped onto them until slowly Jared’s lips parted to let the blood enter his mouth.

This wasn’t a common practice among Jensen’s lot of vampires. The act of giving or sharing blood wasn’t done frequently except among the younger ones who believed their own hype. It also wasn’t done unless the vampire had strong feelings for the mortal since it would provide an intense, or in the case of him and Jared an even more intense, bond between vampire and mortal.

As Jensen watched the blood drop, he could feel his wrist already healing itself. He paid special attention to Jared’s face, looking for signs of distress, but slowly relaxing as he saw the first signs of change, of his blood doing what he hoped it would. Jared’s tense face began to relax, his labored breathing leveled off, and with a soft whimper he lifted a weak hand blindly as if seeking Jensen’s.

Even before Stella or anyone could speak, Jensen knew it was enough and moved his wrist away, letting it finish healing as he focused on Jared. “Jay? Can you hear me?” he asked softly, keeping his voice low. He studied Jared’s face, searching for signs of the evil power still lurking but could only feel Jared as he calmed down and was able to draw in a deep breath.

Jared didn’t move or reply for a few moments, long enough that Jensen was about to snarl at someone, but slowly he began to make soft murmuring noises while lashes fluttered on pale cheeks until his eyes tried to open, fear on the fringe of what he might not see.

“No fears, Jay.” Jensen felt the emotions radiating from the young mortal even more strongly but chose to worry about that later, stroking his fingers over soft skin that felt warmer than it had even a few seconds before. “I know you’re still scared. This won’t remove the fears you have, but it will help you feel better and it will keep your mind safe from another attack like that. Now…can you open your eyes for me?”

He was afraid of seeing only shadows still but slowly as Jensen’s voice continued to speak to him, soothing his fears and worries, Jared found the courage to open his eyes, slowly at first and then a little more as the room began to come into view, but it was Jensen he locked eyes with.

“Jensen,” he whispered, a little shocked at the depth in which he could actually feel Jensen now and wondered if that was vice versa.

“Yes, I can feel you as strongly if not even more strongly than you feel me.” Jensen’s lips curved into a slow smile at Jared’s little gasp of surprise, letting his thumb brush over his jaw. “I’ll show you how to control that and I can also dim it on my end so it doesn’t overwhelm you. Other than that, how do you feel?” he asked, still a little concerned. “Do you feel or sense anything or anyone else like you were before?”

“No, there’s…nothing there now.” Jared slumped back on the sofa, relieved that his mind was his own again and that no bad images were being thrown at him. “Will he be…I mean, can they…?”

“No, Morgan’s little voodoo tricks won’t work now,” Jensen replied, equally relieved about that as he moved to sit beside Jared on the sofa when the young man reached for him; he tucked him against his side to card slightly unsteady fingers back through Jared’s hair.

“Now he’ll start resorting to more physical tactics to find him,” Chris put in grimly, growling when Danneel slapped him in the head after Jared could be seen tensing. “He needs to be aware of the dangers.”

Danneel glared at him as she moved to sit on the back of the sofa as if to act as a buffer while Jensen murmured softly to Jared who buried his face against Jensen’s neck. “But there’s also no need to scare this boy half to death after what he was just put through, asshole,” she huffed and offered Jared a smile. “Just ignore Chris. That’s his bodyguard side coming out. He has even less tact and fewer manners than Chad.”

“Hey! Leave me out of this!” Chad objected from where he stood by the door, making sure no one else came into the room. “He good?” he asked quietly, concerned for Jared.

“He will be after he sleeps this off,” Jensen nodded, gently nudging Jared to his feet and back toward the bed. He noticed the boy’s legs didn’t seem to shake as much but they’d test how well his blood had healed him the next day or whenever Jared felt well enough. “Tell the cook to prepare some food, just something light for when he wakes up. He’ll need to start eating better.”

“When do you eat?” Jared asked suddenly as he tumbled onto Jensen’s bed, rolling to his stomach then his side as his hand automatically reached out for Jensen. “Can you eat real food or just blood? And…”

While Danneel’s fine eyebrows rose at the barrage of questions and Chris shot a look toward Jensen, Chad merely grinned. “And he’s feeling better already cause he’s back to asking questions. Boss, we seriously need to sit him down with Matt so he can give him the fact vs myth speech.”

Before Jared could think to be scared about speaking out of turn or asking too many questions, Jensen gave a calm smile while sitting with him on the bed. “Yes, I can eat real food so I will eat with you when you eat,” he replied in response to the questions, loving this boy’s innocent mind and how it never occurred to him to be frightened to ask such things in a home of vampires. “A lot of vampires choose not to eat human food unless they have to, but many do still enjoy it. In fact, I think we might start eating together from now on.” He eyed his friends with a look that dared anyone to object.

“Can we have pizza?” Chad still enjoyed food and he still had his favorites so he’d take advantage of this option.

“No pineapple,” Jared muttered, eyes heavy but he wasn’t ready to risk sleeping again yet. “No anchovies either.”

“Dude!” Chad stared at him in shock. “Pineapple is one of the greatest toppings since pepperoni! We have to have at least a little pineapple.”

One eye pried itself open to look over at the blond haired vampire. “Your side can have pineapple. I don’t like it. Ate too much of it as a…” Jared voice drifted off and he began to curl up again only to stop at the feel of warm fingers on his neck. “No pineapple?”

“Not if you don’t want any,” Jensen assured him, deciding that might be one of those things he and Jared learned about one another later on. “Just close your eyes and rest. These guys are going to leave us alone now. If you need or want anything when you wake up, just tell me and it’s yours.”

Jared looked like he was considering that but just when it looked like he might speak up, he instantly pulled back, forgetting that hiding things wasn’t going to be easy as Jensen took in silently what he’d picked up from the rambling, confused thoughts. He wished he could take away so much of Jared’s life that had left this wonderful young man so lost, unsure, and so sure that he didn’t deserve kindness.

Jensen chose to keep quiet that he’d heard those thoughts and just moved closer so Jared could feel safe enough to fall back to sleep after they were left alone.

“Jen?” Jared sounded drowsy but he opened his hand to show the item that Jensen had placed there earlier. “Need this back?” he yawned, holding out a small medal that looked like a sun gleaming in cold.

Jensen’s fingers touched the medal lightly before folding Jared’s fingers back around it. “No, keep it. It’s yours now,” he told him softly, smiling as sleepy eyes opened to look at him in confusion. “I want you to have it, Jay. It’ll help protect you and give you strength as well.”

Blinking again, Jared stared at the item and carefully ran his fingers over it; he could feel something there he couldn’t quite place. “Is…is it yours?” he asked.

“It’s a part of a set I was given years ago by someone very powerful.” Jensen reached for the velvet box to remove another medal on a chain that looked like a moon. “The moon and the sun. Opposites that are attracted to one another and together are very powerful. I’m giving you the sun since that is what you are to me, Jared. You are my shining sun, that is how bright you appeared to me from that first night.”

Jared’s cheeks turned a light pink, but his smile was soft and shy as he closed his hand back around it and closed his eyes.

“Go slow and help him learn to free, Jensen,” Stella told him softly before she stepped out to give them privacy and to recast her spells around the home. “He’s a boy who’s not used to anyone being nice to him without there being a catch.”

Nodding, Jensen leaned back against the headboard and just let the room settle into a warm silence. “Jay?” he waited to hear a soft sound that told him Jared was still awake but relaxing slowly and would be falling to sleep…if Jensen didn’t get him worked up about anything. “You know you’re free of Morgan now, right?” he asked carefully while eyeing the leather wrist cuffs that he longed to remove. He knew that would be the final step that Jared needed to take to believe he could be free of that life.

“He…he won’t let me go.” Jared wanted to trust Jensen, to believe that he could be free of that man, that he’d be safe with him but it was so hard because he knew everything that Jeffrey Dean Morgan had done, had promised to do, and he was afraid to let himself believe it. “Even if he didn’t know you were involved, that it was you who saved me that night, he will figure it out…his guy, that voodoo guy, he’ll tell him what you are and…” A finger gently pressed against his lips to stop his rush of words when he began to shake. “I…I wanna stay with you, Jensen. I…I…lo…love you.”

Jensen felt how shy Jared was with saying those words. He also knew that this boy really didn’t know what love was given that hadn’t really known it since his early childhood. There was so much he wanted to show Jared, to teach him, to let him learn for himself but first…first he would need to ensure his safety and that would mean making certain that one Jeffrey Dean Morgan knew when to let go.

The following days led into weeks and Jared was able to heal more quickly now that the drugs and spell work had been flushed from his system. It did take him some time to regain his strength, however, so he was weak for the first several days.

It was during this time that Jensen learned that despite being scared and hesitant, Jared could be stubborn and he did have a temper. It was short and every time he lost it, Jared tried to pull into himself while he fought tears for yelling at Jensen who was just trying to support him as they did the exercises that both Stella and Matt Cohen, one of Jensen’s people, said would help Jared get stronger. Jared would get frustrated and try to do too much and his own, and it seldom ended well.

Once again, Jared was on the floor and bracing himself for the anger he expected to see while preparing himself for pain, but he gasped at the warm thoughts he could feel flooding his mind. He was still trying to adjust to when Jensen let emotions seep through the small wall he’d put up to avoid Jared being too overwhelmed too quickly by the strengthened bond.

“Look at me, _cher_.” Jensen knew the boy’s fear was very real because all Jared had ever known was pain and shame if he disobeyed or acted out, so his reaction wasn’t at all unreasonable. He just needed to remind himself to be patient with the young human. He also needed to tell himself not to coddle Jared too much if he wanted him to start to learn how to be his own person.

Several seconds passed before big dark eyes filled with tears of pain, confusion, and frustration lifted to meet his as Jensen knelt in front of him to offer a calm smile. “It’s never easy to want to do something as simple as take a few steps across a room or change a shirt or something else and not be able to. I know how frustrating it can be and how easy it is to lash out when you don’t know how else to respond.

“I know you still remember that night, Jared. I know you remember how I lashed out at you in my anger, my hurt, so I know that’s probably what you were expecting now. I know you’re used to being hurt like Morgan, his men…your step-Mom…hurt you.” He paused to see the same shadows that always came into Jared’s eyes at the mention of his childhood. “I do have a temper; you’ve seen it. But I will not use it or my hands on you,” he promised, drawl low in order to reassure Jared while holding out a hand.

Several more days passed and Jared was cringing away from Jensen yet again. This time the boy was on the floor for a different reason, and Jensen felt his heart breaking as he knelt beside Jared. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Jen.” Jared was shaking, body curled as far into a corner as he could manage. They were in Jensen’s bedroom, the one room in the whole home where Jared usually felt safe and secure moving around freely.

“Shhhh,” Jensen whispered, reaching out to stroke the boy’s face. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for. You didn’t do anything wrong. Now, can I help you up and into the living room?”

“Is…is it gone?” Jared asked quietly, hating to be afraid of something he’d once loved. He also hated that his reaction had probably confused the other vampires in the house. After all, they’d only been trying to do something nice for him, and he had surprised even himself with his reaction to Chad’s surprise earlier. “Is Chad…angry with me?”

“Yes, it’s gone. Matt took the dog to a friend of his who was looking for a pet for her children, and no, of course Chad’s not angry with you, Jared.” Jensen still wasn’t thrilled that Chad had done this without telling him or Chris about his sudden plan to bring home a puppy that was nearly the size of a full grown dog. Besides being huge, it was a rambunctious overly friendly puppy whose attempts to jump happily on its new friends had put the fear of God into a boy who would not be very comfortable with large dogs or any large animal for a long time to come. “He’s a little worried I might let Chris break something vital off of him for upsetting you. He didn’t mean to scare you. He didn’t know it would scare you, Jay.”

“I know,” Jared whispered, reaching a shaking hand out to take Jensen’s and letting him help him to his feet, leaning into him like he often did when tired or nervous. “I used to love animals, Jen…I still love them but…the sound of a dog, especially one that big even if it was a puppy…all I could see was back there…all I could hear and feel was…” He shuddered violently as he remembered the hours he’d spent locked in Morgan’s kennels with vicious dogs surrounding him.

Jensen’s arms were around Jared the second he heard the sob break loose, holding him and whispering softly as he sought to calm him back down. “Shhh, it’s okay _cher_. You can still love animals, but it’s okay to have a healthy dose of fear too, Jay. What Morgan did to you was terrible. I promise you will never be anyone’s pet, and I will never let a dangerous animal near you again. Maybe one day you’ll feel better about dogs, a small dog, not one the size of a Buick. In the meantime, we can look into getting you another kind of animal…if you want to of course. There’s no hurry if you’re not ready.”

It was so clear by the shows Jared liked to watch and the way his eyes would soften at certain commercials, even from the websites he browsed once Jensen got him to sit at his desk to play with his computer that Jared loved animals. It had also been plain that he was lost and alone during the hours of the day or night when Jensen was dealing with business, even though Chad always stayed with him.

The young Texan had begun to heal more, both physically and emotionally. He didn’t jump when directly spoken to anymore even though he was still quiet and withdrawn around most of the others. Chad could usually manage to draw him out by asking him to play a video game or bringing Jared a new book on a different country, even another state, as Jared loved to learn about places he knew he’d never get to see.

Matt Cohen drew him into a rather long conversation one evening during dinner when Chad couldn’t take the silence anymore and brought up Jared’s rather stereotypical views on vampires. The other vampire immediately found it necessary to begin to clear some of those things up, and that of course started Jared asking more questions than Jensen had ever thought possible about his kind.

“The boy’s got a good head on his shoulders and an impressive brain inside it; if only he’d stop being so scared to use it.” Matt told Jensen the next morning while Jared argued with Chad about trying to sneak pineapple into his eggs.

Because Morgan had begun to raise a stink over one of his people being “kidnapped” off the streets, and because Jensen’s people were working to find out if Jared might have been forced to sign anything that could prove to be problematic, Jensen was keeping the boy either inside or close to the house, and he was never without either him, Chris, Chad or even Danneel.

He suspected that this was the reason Chad tried to help relieve some of Jared’s boredom and worry by trying to bring him a pet that could also serve as a guard…without understanding Jared’s fears of big dogs right then.

“It’ll get better soon, darlin’,” Jensen murmured with a kiss to Jared’s hair as he helped him into the living room; it was empty so he figured that the others must have chosen to give them some privacy.

Because of the severity of Jared’s injuries, emotional, physical, and sexual, Jensen had been cautious in what he did or let them do. It had only been very recently that he felt he could touch Jared more than a normal touch. He could sense the boy’s doubts as to why he was holding back from kissing him or taking anything to another level, but Jensen wanted to be certain that Jared was ready for more instead of reacting like he’d been trained.

It wasn’t an easy decision to make given that Jared liked to cuddle in his sleep and Jensen’s body, after so many years of not caring about sex except as a means for release, responded to Jared like it had no one else. Jensen longed for the moment when he thought Jared was ready for a real kiss or more than a few soft touches to his face, but he would see how Jared did in the coming days.

That night he held him on the sofa as they watched an old black and white horror movie with vampires. Jensen merely lifted an eyebrow at the choice of movies until Jared’s cheeks bloomed an adorable shade of pink at his embarrassment for choosing it.

“Jen, we don’t have to…” Jared stopped in the middle of trying to find the remote to stop the movie, one of his favorite old horror classics, only to feel a finger touch his lips. He froze and couldn’t quite hide the wish to feel Jensen’s lips on his again.

“You’ll feel that soon enough, _cher_ ,” Jensen told him while moving the remote out of reach and drawing Jared in closer to him. “I want to watch TV with you, and maybe this will let me see where you get so many of those delightful ideas that had Matt banging his head on the table the other night and Chad laughing.”

“They probably think I’m stupid.” Jared’s fingers moved restlessly in the soft material of Jensen’s shirt, needing the contact. He also grasped the medal he wore, loving the way that it seemed to always warm when it got close to the one Jensen was wearing.

Jensen tipped his face up to look at him. “No one thinks you’re stupid, Jared,” he assured him, hating that the boy thought ill of himself still and wished he knew how to help him gain confidence. “Most people believe what books and movies say about my kind. It’s often better for us that they do. We’re able to move around easier among you that way…now the movies about werewolves? Yeah, those are usually legit.”

“There really are werewolves?” Jared’s eyes snapped up, mouth dropping before catching the sparkle in Jensen’s eyes and the curve of his lips that told him he was being teased. “You shift so what does that make you?”

“A vampire who can shift forms,” Jensen replied with a shrug. “And my chosen form when I do that is a wolf. I’m kind of picky about shifting as you might’ve noticed, and I’ll only do it for you.” Jensen debated telling the naïve boy too much that might put him in danger. “One day I’ll give you the full course of what’s real and what’s just made-up for Hollywood. Until then all you have to know is I am very real, very much in love with you, and I really want to kiss you right now.”

Jared was still wondering about the werewolf comment when Jensen’s last words registered and suddenly he couldn’t care less about myths and movies. His still tired looking eyes lifted to lock onto Jensen’s lips before moving up to his eyes. “You…You do?” He felt a rush of twisting emotions: fear, confusion, disbelief…shame.

“No, no shame, Jay.” Jensen’s words reminded him that his thoughts were an open book to the vampire, but Jared didn’t mind as he still had a hard time speaking about his emotions. The vampire movie was forgotten when a hand cupped his face. “I never want you to feel shame over what was done to you or think that I don’t want to touch or kiss you because of it. I do. I do want to kiss you. I do want to touch you…so damn much…but I’m trying to give you time to heal, to understand that this is all different than what you’re used to.

“You need to finally believe that you are a free man, that you’re not expected to have sex when someone else tells you to or expects it, that money will never change hands for sex again.” Jensen’s thumb brushed over a still visible mark on Jared’s face from where a leather strap had bit in before he slowly let his lips do the same. “When we make love, when anything happens between us, it’ll be because you’re ready and that you want to allow me to touch you.”

Jared had been confused by so much ever since meeting Jensen. This totally left him numb. No one had ever wanted him to make a choice. He’d never been allowed to have a say in what happened to his body. Hearing this from Jensen, knowing that was why the vampire wasn’t touching him more than the soft, light caresses at night when he held him stunned him. It also left him at a loss to what to do or say since he wasn’t sure how to make such choices.

Jensen’s smile went soft as he heard the silent battle Jared was having with himself. He couldn’t recall ever being this innocent, not even when he’d been human, so it hurt him to sense such fear in Jared now. “You have the power to make all the choices in your life, _cher_ ,” he told him quietly, taking a risk by allowing his lips to trail over Jared’s jaw, still allowing him to get used to a touch that wasn’t painful or demanding. “You can choose to do anything you want to do. I’ve just been trying to keep you around the house until I can deal with Morgan, but if you really want to get out of here, if you want to go to the Quarter or the park, we can or Chad can take you or…”

“I…I’m so scared of him finding me, Jensen,” Jared whispered, shivering a little at the feel of warm lips touching him while reminding himself that this was Jensen and that he was not going to be hurt or humiliated. “I wish he’d go away or…”

“My lawyers are working to find a way to get him to let you go, but in the meantime if you wanted, you and I could leave the city.” It was something Jensen had been considering given Jared’s love of reading about different places. “I could take you anywhere in the world you want while Chris deals with the legal end to free you.”

Jared’s eyes widened at that thought. He used to dream of traveling to far away places, of seeing so many things that he would see in magazines or photos, but he never thought it would actually be possible. Now he looked at Jensen with cautious hope. “We…we could go places?” he asked with nearly a child’s innocence at the thought of seeing those places he’d dreamed of. “We…we could go see the Statue of Liberty or the Grand Canyon or even Key West?”

“We could see those places,” Jensen nodded as he watched the raw emotion shining on Jared’s face. He felt his chest tighten at how things that Jensen took for granted were so new and special to this boy. “I was actually talking about showing you the Eifel Tower in Paris or the London Bridge in London, but if you wanted to start in New York, we could definitely do that.”

“But what about your life here? Your businesses and stuff? You couldn’t just leave it all behind.” Jared longed to leave this city. He loved it but also feared it, so the offer to leave was thrilling until he remembered that Jensen had responsibilities.

Jensen knew he’d take Jared wherever he wanted and his businesses could go to hell. He had business managers for a reason, but it touched him that Jared was concerned about that. Again, it showed him that despite the horrors he’d been through and the fact that he hadn’t graduated, Jared was a lot smarter than Jensen thought most people gave the boy credit for.

“I have businesses in Europe and I obviously don’t live there. I have interests all around the world that people run for me, so leaving my New Orleans operations in the hands of those I trust while you and I explore all the places you want to see wouldn’t be difficult.” He smiled as Jared’s eyes lit up with a happiness he hadn’t seen in them before. “I promised to free you and I will. I promised to protect you and I will. Now I’ll also promise to give you the world, _cher_. Would you like that, Jay?”

“Yes,” Jared whispered but he’d also like something else if he could work up the courage to ask for it. “Jen?” He chewed his bottom lip nervously. “Can you…can we…” He took a shaky breath before feeling a gentle voice in his mind coaxing him on. “Kiss me?”

“Yes, I can do that.” Jensen had wanted to do it but held back. Never in all his years had he been uneasy or nervous about kissing anyone, man or woman, but yet as he gently took Jared’s face in his hands, he felt both his own nervousness as well as Jared’s. “No pain, darlin’,” he promised as he offered a slow, soft and light kiss to Jared’s lips.

The kiss was a gentle, loving, slow first type of kiss as, for Jensen, this was what it was. He would tell Jared later to put that one night aside because as of this moment, this was their first kiss and everything between them would be new.

For this moment though, he focused on Jared, his fear, as well as the pleasure Jensen wanted him to learn he could have. He kept his touch light and never deepened the kiss, giving Jared time to adjust to the touch of a real kiss, something he suspected the boy had never had before.

Jared had automatically tensed, still expecting kisses to be rough, hard and cruel, or to feel an instant intrusion in his mouth, but slowly he realized that Jensen hadn’t moved or done anything but give soft kisses, light ones, and he soon found himself enjoying the kiss and relaxing slightly into Jensen’s arms.

“What…was that?” he asked once Jensen broke the kiss to pull back and look at him as if checking for signs of unease or fear whereas Jared was looking for signs of disgust or dislike if he hadn’t done it correctly.

“Our first kiss,” Jensen smiled, seeing the surprise there but also that Jared had enjoyed it so it was a start. “Not what you were expecting was it, _cher_?” he asked while beginning to pepper little butterfly kisses over Jared’s face and lips and hearing the soft laugh.

“No,” Jared admitted. “But…I…liked it. It made me…don’t laugh?”

“Never, Jared.” Jensen stopped what he was doing to show the boy that he had his full attention. “What is it?”

Jared’s fingers were nervously moving over Jensen’s shirt but he slowly lifted his eyes to meet the curious green eyes of the vampire. “It made me…feel normal,” he murmured, adding in a lower voice. “Y’know, like someone you’d meet regularly…or…human.”

“You are human, darlin’,” Jensen chuckled before it clicked what that meant and his hand cupped a lowering jaw to lift it slightly. “Jared, my sweet, sweet boy, you are human. You are normal, and as soon as you can begin to believe that and let me remove those damn things on your wrists, you’ll see how much better you’ll begin to feel about yourself. Can I kiss you again?” He knew when not to push but could see the start of Jared learning what it would take to begin the next step of his life.

He saw the nod and bright, shy smile that allowed a little flash of Jared’s dimples to show. Jensen curved his fingers around the back of Jared’s neck to bring him closer when suddenly he stopped, ears picking up noises that he shouldn’t be hearing. He sensed Chris even before the other vampire knocked briefly.

“He’s got bad timing,” Jared muttered in a whisper that made Jensen’s lips curve slightly as he tried not to tense or jerk back when Chris entered the room. “Jensen? What’s…” He could tell something wasn’t right just by the grim set of Chris’s mouth and how Jensen’s mood had changed. “Jen?”

“You do have rotten timing, Chris,” Jensen remarked in a way to try to keep Jared from getting upset as he took in the terse, grim message he was being sent silently as well as the things he could hear from outside.

Chris stopped to frown at that and then shot a smirk. “I won’t even ask what I just interrupted or else Stella will be bitching at you for moving too fast.” He gazed at Jared for a second before giving Jensen a grim look. “Someone told Morgan that the kid’s here. He and a few of his cronies and his lawyer are at the gate with Beaver.” He sounded more than unhappy. “Katie’s on her way here. In the meantime, Mike’s making it clear that if anyone steps on the property he’s got a gun and will use it. You need to make an appearance to confirm or deny.”

Jared’s peace and happiness fled the second he heard that Jeffrey Dean Morgan was outside and had come to claim him. He felt like it was all falling in on him and was unaware that his breathing had picked up until hands suddenly were on his face and Jensen’s voice was calling his name both mentally and vocally.

“Jared! Jay! Hey, come back to me now, darlin’.” Jensen was pissed off but didn’t let that show in his voice as he felt the terror washing over Jared as he began to pull back from him, long legs drawing up as he tried to curl up into the corner of the sofa with harsh little sobs breaking free. “Jay? It’s going to be okay but I need you to look at me and listen to me.”

“He’s…he found me. He’ll never leave here without me. He’ll…he’ll…Jensen!” Jared went with the tug that took him into Jensen’s arms, sobbing as his fear turned to terror at being forced to leave Jensen. “Please! Please, you said…”

“I said I would protect you and I will. I will keep you free of that bastard no matter the cost,” Jensen soothed, fingers gentle as they stroked over trembling shoulders while working to calm Jared down as best as he could right then given the fear was very real. “I want you to go into my bedroom and wait for me. Lock the door if you want, but stay away from the French doors and do not leave the house. I will handle this, Jay,” he promised, giving a gentle kiss to Jared’s forehead as he stood up to nudge the boy along. “Go on. I have this.”

Jared was pale and shaking. He didn’t want to leave Jensen but he also knew he couldn’t handle seeing the man who had basically been his owner for the past four years either, so with some reluctance, he did as he was told but paused to look back. “Jen? If you…if you don’t want to…”

Jensen didn’t need to hear the rest of the whispered and shaky words to know what they were. He was across the room in a blur to catch Jared’s face between his palms. “I will protect you,” he repeated firmly, accepting this and knowing he’d do whatever it took to keep that promise, including finding the bastard who’d leaked Jared’s location to Morgan in the first damn place. “I love you, Jared.”

It never failed to make Jared’s heart beat a little faster when he heard that. No one but his Momma had ever even said those words to him before Jensen. He knew he had a lot to learn about loving anyone, but the fear of being taken away made him scared to give in.

“I’m not worth it, Jen,” he suddenly said; he was trying not to shake or throw up, so he missed the flash of anger in Jensen’s eyes and the growl from Chris. “I’m not good enough for you. You know what I am…was and you’d never be able to take me out with you without your friends or business associates knowing you were taking pity on some…Jensen?”

This time he did catch the flash of anger because he felt it, tensing subtly as he swallowed thickly but managing not to shirk back from the emotion like he might have before; he sensed in his heart that the words angered Jensen, not him.

“I do not ever want you to ever say anything like that again, Jared.” Jensen fought to keep his temper down but it was hard when he could tell that Jared believed the lies he’d been told about himself. “The second I deal with this asshole outside and we know you’re safe, I am taking you out to the best restaurant in this town. Everyone will see you on my arm and know you’re who I’ve chosen.” He heard Chris offer a silent warning but just ignored him in favor of watching Jared’s eyes change from fear to surprise. “This, what we’re building here, is more than a casual relationship or fast fling, darlin’. If you choose to let me in, if you choose to stay with me, then I will one day make you mine in all ways…save one.

“Now, go into the bedroom and stay there until I get back inside.” He kissed him again, holding it until he felt the tension ease away enough that Jensen felt safe to leave Jared alone. “Don’t,” he growled lowly at Chris, turning away from the hall only after hearing the lock on the master bedroom click. “Don’t lecture me and don’t scare him. Just find out who ratted him out to this bastard while I go deal with this.”

Chris shook his head while following a clearly infuriated Jensen out of his private side of the home, down to the courtyard where several voices could be heard. Jensen immediately focused on the deep, gravelly, arrogant one demanding the return of his “ward” or else the police would arrest people for kidnapping and illegal detainment.

“Really? You seriously want to talk to me about kidnapping and illegal detainment after what you and your bastards did to Jared out at your precious private retreat, Morgan?” Jensen asked as he stepped up beside a shaking, enraged Chad to see the group of people standing on the sidewalk just outside the closed gate to his property. “Perhaps you’d best rethink those accusations given that you’ve basically kept Jared as a slave for your sexually deviant friends as you sold him on the streets.”

Jeffrey Dean Morgan was a rough looking man in his late forties with just a hint of silver in his thick dark hair and grizzled beard. He was slightly taller than Jensen and stockier as he stood with the arrogance of a man used to getting his own way. He clearly believed he’d get it this time as well as his dark eyes shot to see who’d spoken and his lips thinned into a hard sneer.

“Listening to the lies told by some uneducated whore, Ackles?” He glared at the man he wanted to hurt for keeping him from his property but held back as his lawyer hissed at him to be quiet. “This man and his ‘associates’ kidnapped someone in my employ and possibly murdered another, Captain. I want him arrested and I want my employee returned this minute. I have a signed contract with Jared assuring me ownership and use of his body for the rest of his life in exchange for me helping him out.”

Jim Beaver had been a cop in New Orleans for a long time. He’d seen men like Morgan come and go, but he knew enough about them to recognize the truly dangerous ones, the unstable ones, and that was what he took this one to be. Of course he was also rich with powerful friends so that was another headache.

“Jensen? Do you know where his missing man is?” the cop asked as he eyed Jensen through the wrought iron railing of the gate. His observant eyes noticed the way several of the men he knew worked for Jensen were standing; his cop senses told him that Kane’s security wouldn’t be playing if they sensed a threat. “If you do, then you need to cough him up…unless there’s a damn good reason for you not to,” he added while seeing hard green eyes flashing dangerously. “Is this boy here?”

“Mr. Ackles has been issued an order of protection on behalf of Mr. Padalecki toward Mr. Morgan, Mr. Heyerdahl, and anyone else who works for or with Morgan Escorts, Captain Beaver.” A slim young blond woman stepped up with a piece of paper held out as she shot the men a disgusted look. “Because Mr. Padalecki was naïve, young, and scared, it’s believed that Mr. Morgan took advantage of that to bully and force him into signing those papers, papers that my client did not understand were anything more than a simple IOU for a small loan received shortly after meeting Mr. Morgan.”

Katie Cassidy had been Jensen’s lawyer for five years. She’d played hardball with the best and worst lawyers in the country, but just being close to the smarmy Morgan and his men now made her think she’d be taking a shower just from close proximity.

“My client doesn’t have to bully his employees into anything,” Morgan’s lawyer broke in with a hard glare at the blond. “They are all well-compensated and provided for so…”

“That’s why Jared was living in a rat infested apartment with no working elevator and the heat and hot water turned off if he didn’t sell himself enough in a week?” Jensen shot back, fingers itching to make a fist and put it through the smug pimp who was far too close to Jared even now. “He calls kidnapping, raping, and torturing a scared boy for 12 days well compensated?” He shot the now enraged pimp a hard look. “You will never touch Jared again and if you try…”

As Chris’s hand came down on his shoulder, Katie shoved through the gate and Mike Rosenbaum kept the weapon in his hand aimed in case one of Morgan’s bodyguards decided to try anything. Jensen struggled not to lose control of either his power or temper; it was made harder because he could sense Jared’s growing terror inside the home.

“You have no right to him!” Morgan shouted, shoving his lawyer out of the way to lunge for the gate. “He’s mine! I took him in! I made him!”

“You made him a hooker and you’re trying to make him a slave for anyone willing to pay you to use and abuse him!” Jensen snapped back, fangs wanting to come out, but he fought the urge as the steel hard grip on his shoulder got tighter. “Jared is out! He didn’t understand those papers! You took advantage of that and you know it! That asshole with you can tell you that no judge in this country will uphold that contract once they talk to him.”

Morgan glared at the ruggedly handsome man through the gate and then at the fancy home behind him. “Give me that whore or I will ruin you by telling this whole city just what you are, Ackles,” he gritted through clenched teeth, tempted to tear through his guards as well as Ackles to go get his property. He’d already lost a great deal of money during the time the boy had been out of his control.

“You have no proof of what I am. You only have the word of your voodoo witch doctor as to what he saw when he tried to control Jared’s mind.” Jensen knew the risks were high and he might lose his cover here in the Big Easy this time, but it was a risk he was willing to take. “You really think anyone in this city would believe you after my people show them the actual physical evidence, the photos of Jared’s body, the shock collar you had on him, the drug analysis of his blood of the control drugs you used on him and everything else, that I have?” He smirked at the hate he could see on the man’s hard face. “You will not hurt him again. He is free of you.”

“You fucking freak!” Morgan screamed in a blind rage at having his demands ignored. He ignored his suddenly worried lawyer and his bodyguards when he lunged for the gate to go for Jensen’s throat, ignoring the gate as well the other men. “You just want him for yourself! You think I’m stupid! You’re no better than I am, Ackles!” he shouted. “I know what happens in that club you own! I know that Sheppard basically runs it as a whorehouse, so you can’t deny me my property! You just want that piece of ass for your own toy, but you can’t have him! He’s mine! I claimed him and I’ll do it again as soon as I go in there and drag his goddamn sorry ass…”

Jensen’s eyes went hard, his one hand fisted while his other went to the gate as if to make sure it didn’t move while Chad snapped something to one of the guards. A few feet away, Danneel could be heard telling Katie and the cops that if anyone stepped foot on Jensen’s property all bets were off.

He heard but ignored the voices around him. It was Morgan’s thoughts that caught Jensen’s attention. The man’s rage made his thoughts open to anyone who could see or hear them, including most of the vampires in the general area because Chris snarled lowly as he began to pick up what Jensen was.

The images from the pimp’s thoughts were even viler than what he’d seen in Jared’s mind because Morgan’s thoughts were filled with things he planned to do to Jared when he had him back, including even more horrendous things than were done before.

“Jensen…” Beaver had seen the change come over Jensen’s face at something while he and his officers made sure no one actually stepped foot on the private property because the grizzled cop wasn’t stupid. He knew what most of those men were; he’d known they were vampires for years as he’d been in this city long enough to know the difference between human and vampire.

He also knew Jensen well enough to recognize when the vampire side was fighting to come out in anger. He also knew that if Jensen was willing to face down a man as wealthy and underhanded as Morgan to protect one boy off the streets, than the situation was a lot more than the cop knew about right then. He decided he needed to get the full story…soon.

“Alright! Everyone settle the hell down!” he snapped, trying to get in front of the gate in case the asshole pimp who was shouting at him to retrieve the boy got the stupid idea to actually do it himself. “Morgan! If this boy is over 18 and staying here of his own free will, than there ain’t no kidnapping!”

“He has no free will, Beaver!” Morgan snarled with disgust, nearly spitting on the cop as if he couldn’t believe the audacity of this stupid cop in not getting him what he wanted. “He signed a lifetime contract with me and I demand his return or…”

“No! No, I didn’t and I…I don’t want to go anywhere with him!”

Jensen had been debating breaking Chris’s arm to get him to let go so he could deal with this matter on his own when suddenly he felt the change in the night air. Seconds later he heard the voice and his heart dropped to his shoes when he did. “Jared, no,” he whispered, whirling away from the gate to try to stop the frightened young man who was slowly approaching; he was only a few feet away now. “Jared! Go back in…argh!”

As he pulled back the knife he always carried with him after stabbing the arrogant bastard through the gate with it, Jeffery Dean Morgan looked up to see terrified wide eyes staring as Jensen fell forward.

“Time to come home, pretty boy,” he sneered while pulling something else out of his pocket without regards to who was with him or where he was; all he saw was a boy he owned and looked forward to training again. “Easy or hard. You might as well choose since no one else is gonna stand up for you now.”

Jared stared at the coiled piece of metal in the man’s hand and knew what it was. He knew, and in a second, all of Jensen’s hard work was being wiped away just from seeing the iron chain Morgan had used as a leash and lead.

“No…God, no,” he whispered, sick nausea filling him as his mind flashed back and he could feel himself losing all the courage that had forced him from the safety of Jensen’s bedroom in the first place.

**TBC**


	8. Chapter 8

**Eternal Love**

**Chapter Eight**

The burning sharp pain in his side took Jensen off guard. He heard Jared scream his name just as he heard someone, Danneel or Katie, he wasn’t sure, scream that Morgan had a knife and to get Jared back. Jensen looked down to see his hand covered in blood and had a brief moment to remember that he really did hate the sight of blood before he felt a jolt of pure terror hit him and knew it was from Jared.

He was about to try to work past the pain as well as the strong burst of fear when he felt another change in Jared. Then another voice registered and the vampire’s temper surged.

“Bow like a good mutt to your master, boy!” Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s voice was hard and commanding as he growled at the shaking, pale boy. “No one here’s gonna help you or want the hassle you bring, so get your ass out this gate and…ugh!”

“Murray! Get that kid in the house! Danneel, Matt! Get Jensen up and inside with him, and Beaver, get this goddamn asshole in cuffs because he just stabbed Jensen on private property and I want him arrested now!” Chris Kane’s voice was pure pissed off as he worked to keep all hell from breaking loose, but he still felt the rage from Jensen moments before he caught the movement. “Jensen! Deal with Jared! I have this!” he snapped in a tone he only used when needing to make things happen quickly.

Jensen didn’t want to let his friend deal with anything. He wanted to rip Morgan’s throat out with his fangs or tear his heart from his chest as he not only heard the words coming out of the man’s mouth but also what he was thinking, every foul thing he planned to do, and with every word aimed at the terrified boy, he felt Jared falling away.

“You can’t arrest me! I was just defending myself against someone who is illegally detaining something that belongs to me!” Morgan yelled, shoving off the hands of the police officers who’d tried to yank him back. “I have papers! He…”

“Jared’s not a slave. He can make his own choices and that so-called piece of paper ain’t worth the ink it was written with,” Chris growled. Katie Cassidy was speaking rapidly into her phone while Morgan’s own attorney was looking on, horrified at what was happening. “So long as that kid says he wants to stay here, wants nothing to do you with you, then he’s not stepping foot off this property.”

Morgan’s face was red with rage as he fought back against the cops who were trying to handcuff him at Jim Beaver’s order. “He won’t say that! He knows better than to refuse me! Jared! Come! You come the hell outta there boy, or when I get my hands on…”

“Jay.” Jensen’s tone was tight and low when he spoke; he shrugged off the hands that were trying to help him as he could feel the gash in his side slowly closing already. He knew his wound wasn’t life-threatening, and he desperately wanted to get those wide eyes to look at him. “Jared, look at me, _cher_ ,” he encouraged quietly. ‘ _Jared_.’

The loud voices shouting all around him were scaring him, but it was Morgan’s voice, the command in it, the clear threat, as well as the sound of that chain that was causing Jared to pull back; he was trying to lose himself in his mind before he was forced to endure the horror again. Then he felt a light touch on his heart and heard another voice that instantly had his attention.

“Jen,” he whispered, noticing that Chad had moved to be between him and the gate while Danneel and Matt were trying to get Jensen to head for the house, but he was batting them away in favor of staying where he was, eyes staring right at him.

Jared could tell Jensen was angry but not at him. Toward him he sensed only worry, concern and a need to shield; Jared so desperately wanted to be shielded by Jensen’s arms right then, but he knew his legs wouldn’t hold him much longer.

From beyond the gate he could hear the loud, crude, harsh voice of his former pimp getting more and more muffled as if he was moving away from them in a car or something. He could still hear other voices, but then he heard a voice he wasn’t familiar with asking Chris if he could ask him some questions, and Jared’s heart sped up.

“No! I’m not going back with him!” he suddenly shouted, gauging the short distance between him and Jensen in the courtyard. He took a chance that he wouldn’t fall or be grabbed by one of the dark suited men still outside the gate and pushed to his feet and took a few shaky steps until he felt solid arms pulling him in tight. “Jensen!”

The moment Jared moved was when Jensen did as well. The initial shock of the knife cut had worn off, but despite what he wanted, he had to give Jared a chance to find the courage to fight back from his fear. The second he saw movement, Jensen was on his feet and he pulled the lunging boy into his arms to hold him tightly.

“Shhh, I’ve got you, Jay. It’s fine. You’re not going anywhere with that bastard,” he soothed, hearing buried sobs against his neck as Jared’s long arms wrapped around him to hold on equally tight. “You should’ve stayed inside like I told you,” he whispered softly, pressing a kiss to Jared’s temple.

“I…I wanted to but…I also wanted to show you that I could…could be brave too.” Jared wasn’t feeling very brave at the moment, however. He couldn’t seem to control his shaking and he really just wanted to curl into a ball in a closet or in Jensen’s arms. Every time he closed his eyes, he could still hear Morgan’s words and the rattling of that God-awful chain. “Jen! He…he stabbed…” He started to pull away, fear and anxiety building again when he felt Jensen’s arms hold tight. “It’s my fault!”

“Of course it’s not your fault, _chile_.” Stella had been awakened by the commotion and was now in the courtyard giving the grim faced police captain a dark look. “Chad, you and Danneel help Jensen into the house with Jared so I can patch him up. Christian and little Katie can take care of the rest of this matter…if there are any complications, the good Captain might find his police station filled with rabbits in the morning…or maybe I’ll choose some other type of critter this time.”

Jim Beaver groaned under his breath. He’d been on the healer’s bad side before and he had no desire to have to call animal control in…again. “I’m hauling him outta here, Stella,” he assured the woman, ignoring the little prick in the fancy suit who was still ranting on behalf of his client, demanding that the obviously traumatized young man be returned to them. “Mister, right now I’m about _this_ close to hauling all of you down to the station. I’m thinking I need to take a much closer look into your boss’s business affairs.”

Jared tensed again at the thought of being taken away, but he let Jensen nudge him toward the steps while Danneel hurried ahead of them. Chad lagged behind, slowly following up after snapping something to Chris about kicking someone’s ass before he did and for Matt to find out who the hell sold his buddy out.

“I’m…sorry, Jen. I…I didn’t mean to…to get you hurt.” Jared wasn’t aware that he was stuttering as he tried to pull away again only to be kept in Jensen’s arms as Stella hustled them both into the master bedroom. “I…I know you said to stay but…I…I thought if I showed I was brave, that I wasn’t afraid of him that he’d…leave me alone but…he won’t. He’ll never leave me alone and now they know I’m here and he’ll keep hasslin’ you until you get tired of it and you send me back and I wouldn’t blame you cause I’m a…huh?”

The rush of steady words had Jared’s head hurting because he hadn’t stopped to take a breath. Suddenly he found himself sitting on the side of the bed with Jensen while Danneel built the fire up again, and Chad yanked the curtains closed on the windows and locked French doors.

“You are possibly the bravest mortal I’ve ever met, Jared.” Jensen told him while carding the fingers of his hand not covered in his own blood back through Jared’s hair. He wanted to erase the fear he could still see in the boy’s face. “It took so much courage for you to come outside. I know he scared you again.” He caught Jared’s face before it dropped. “Remember what I’ve told you when those doubts come back, darlin’. He knows how to scare you, how to hurt you, so it’s up to you to believe that you are more than those doubts and fears.”

“But…he’s right, Jensen.” Jared stared at his hands before he reached the bloodstained area of Jensen’s shirt as Stella motioned for him to take it off. “I…no one will…I…”

“Dude, there ain’t a person, vampire or human, in this house who won’t fight for you.” Chad spoke up after disappearing into the living room and returning with a glass of something. “If the damn cops hadn’t been out there, I promise you that Chris would’ve shed some blood, and he still will the second we find out who the hell ratted to Morgan about you being here.

Jared seemed startled by this as he’d never believed anyone would ever defend him. He wasn’t sure how to respond, and before he could figure it out, he was distracted when Jensen reluctantly eased away only long enough to pull his t-shirt over his head so he could show a grumbling Stella that he didn’t need her kind of help right then. “You…where’d it go?” he asked softly as he looked down expecting to see a bloody gash but only finding a thin visible mark with blood around it. “Jen?”

“Vampires healing quickly is one other thing you might’ve heard about us…that one isn’t a myth.” Jensen shook his head at the glass that Chad was trying to force on him. “Not now. I’ll take care of it soon but not until he’s asleep,” he told the blond.

“Jensen, you haven’t been eating right.” Danneel spoke up from where she stood by the door listening to what was happening outside. “If you get too weak and something like this happens again, you won’t heal as quickly. You also might not have the strength to help Jared if he needs you, so suck it up and drink.” She offered a dry smile to a confused young mortal. “If he’s going to be with you, living here or whatever, then he will have to see you drink blood sooner or later. Might as well get it over with.”

“And this way, it’ll prove that we don’t have a basement full of people in chains waiting to…oh crap.” Chad had been making a joke about some old horror vampire movies since he knew Jared still believed so many myths and legends about vampires. He’d been about to laugh until he saw the way his new friend’s face paled, and then he could’ve kicked himself. “Damn. Jared, I didn’t mean it like that. I didn’t think about what that ass did to you or…”

Jared had gone perfectly rigid, but he was able to work through the flash of memory by thinking of what Jensen had been telling him. After a few moments, he was able to look Chad in the face and tell him that he was alright. Then he looked over to see Jensen’s lips were curved into a soft smile. “I…I don’t want you to be afraid of doing something you need to do in front of me, Jensen,” he told him, eyeing the glass still in Chad’s hand a little warily. “Umm, can I ask something?”

“If he ever runs out of questions, I’ll start to worry,” Chad snorted while Jensen nodded. The vampire took the glass from Chad as Stella hovered to be sure the cut was healing. “Five bucks says I know what he wants to know.”

“Sucker bet and no, I’m not betting with you.” Jensen smoothed his thumb across Jared’s face. “Ask what you will, Jay,” he told the curious mortal.

“Is…is it…human or…” He frowned as too many books and B-grade movies came to mind. “I like bunnies, Jen. You don’t eat bunnies, right?”

Jensen just blinked while Chad turned to avoid snorting in laughter at the completely unexpected question.

“I need to start recording these things for Chris and Matt,” Chad muttered but winced as Stella slapped him in the arm.

“No, _cher_ , I don’t hurt bunnies,” Jensen assured him, nodding at the red liquid in the glass. “I told you once that most of us get our blood from blood banks and that’s where this came from. Chad or Matt will show you the cabinets that you should avoid if you ever go into the kitchen alone.” He smiled at the look of relief on Jared’s face. “You like bunnies, huh?” he asked while sipping the liquid, needing to keep the curious boy’s thoughts off of the blood before he asked anything else that would have Chad getting them all in trouble by repeating it.

Jared nodded, a shy smile forming while he watched as Stella cleaned the blood away. “I like all animals except snakes and rats…but sometimes cats make me sneeze.” He took a second to look toward Chad then back at Jensen. “I think eventually I might not be afraid of dogs again but…I am right now and I hate that cause I love ‘em so much and…”

“No dogs until you are fully ready for that and then one that isn’t the size of a horse,” Jensen murmured, lips smoothing over the boy’s cheek once he’d finished the glass and it was taken away. “Maybe we’ll see about a bunny for you…if they make those that are reasonably sized.” He chuckled at Jared’s grin and decided he knew what Chad’s first task would be the following day. “Am I alright? Can you stop poking at me?” he asked the healer with a grumble.

“Just don’t go making it a habit of getting stabbed, Jensen Ackles,” Stella returned with a sigh as Chris stuck his head in.

“Beaver wants to talk to you and Jared, Jensen,” he announced, clearly unhappy with that plan. “He’s alone and Katie’s out here too, but he needs Jared himself to tell him that he’s not being kept here against his will…that he wants to stay.”

Jared’s fingers tightened on Jensen’s hand while his breath picked up. “I…I…don’t wanna talk to the cops, Jen,” he whispered tightly, fears building from years ago when speaking to a police officer could get him beaten or locked in a closet…or even worse since coming to New Orleans. “He’ll…never believe me over someone rich like Mr. Morgan and…I’ll have to go back cause he made me sign that paper and…”

“No one’s making you go anywhere, Jared,” Jensen replied, meeting Chris’s eyes to nod his agreement. “Tell Beaver to have a seat. We’ll be out to speak with him as soon as I put another shirt on. Jim’s a good cop, Jay. He’ll listen to you, but you only have to tell him what you want.”

“Will you be with me?” Jared asked while Jensen pulled a shirt on but didn’t button it fully so he could see the moon medal he wore.

“Yes, I’ll be with you, and so will Chris and Chad.” Jensen held out a hand and he smiled when Jared took it after a shaky breath. “I will always be with you,” he murmured softly, catching Chad’s eye on the way out of the bedroom and shooting him a silent order that had the other vampire smirking and rolling his eyes.

Jim Beaver was stalking the living room listening to Katie lecture him about her client’s vulnerability when he turned to see Jensen standing there with his hand resting protectively on a shoulder that was clearly trembling as Jared stood close to him.

“You have 10 minutes. Ask what you need and then leave me alone to get him calmed down.” Jensen’s tone was cool and he kept murmuring lowly reassuring Jared that the cop could be trusted. “I want Morgan arrested for whatever you can get him on just to give me time to break his hold on Jared.”

“He’s got powerful friends, Jensen,” the cop argued but sighed at the growl he heard. “I can probably hold him for attacking you, at least for 48 hours. After that, this little girl here had better have some paperwork ready to argue that the boy signed that contract against his will or that he didn’t understand what he was signing. Otherwise, Morgan’s gonna try to pull some legal card trick to get him back.”

Jared’s eyes were going back and forth between Jensen and the cop, and he was frowning. “I…he said I signed an IOU cause he…he loaned me money. He said I was signing a payback form just to have a paper trail but…I wasn’t allowed to look at it.” He looked over a Jensen with a sad look. “His lawyer said I’d be too stupid to understand it and I guess he was right cause I…I didn’t know I signed anything like they’re saying I signed, Jensen. I…I know I’m not smart but…”

“You are smart, Jared,” Jensen corrected as Katie approached. “This is Katie and she’s going to be your lawyer while we get this sorted out.” He felt Jared pull closer to him and sensed the new people were beginning to overwhelm him.

Katie Cassidy listened as Jared told Beaver in halting words about a good deal of his life. She’d taken in how he’d come to the Big Easy, how he’d been easy prey for the predators on the street, and she figured out before he said it how Morgan had gotten his hooks into him.

“Jared?” She had noticed how tense he’d become when Beaver got too close to him, so she was careful to approach. “Can you read this for me?” She held out a piece of paper and frowned as she took in the leather bracelet like cuffs he still wore; they didn’t quite cover the still evident signs of his healing wounds, and she guessed she was lucky no vampire lost his temper earlier.

Jared bit his lip as he took the single sheet of paper that was full of small print. He squinted for a minute until the lights were brought up to allow for human eyes and then he gazed at the paper. He could read even though he didn’t get far in school thanks to his stepmother, but he didn’t know all the words or even understand the structure of the lines.

He struggled through the first few lines before Jensen’s hand closed over his and Jared turned into his arms with a bitter half-sob. “It’s just like when I tried to read those other papers. I can read most of it but…”

“He had no idea what he signed.” Katie took the paper back; she’d suspected but needed to be sure. “Morgan and his people forced him to sign a contract that Jared not only couldn’t read fully but definitely didn’t understand. I’ll have no trouble convincing a judge of that. It’ll just be a matter of keeping him safe until I get a court date because he might have to testify and if he disappears, then Morgan’s in the clear for everything.”

“He’ll be safe,” Jensen replied and meant it, eyeing the cop. “Do you think now that I’m keeping him against his will, Jim?” he asked with just a touch of sarcasm. His fingers were gentle as they stroked through Jared’s hair after he laid his head against his shoulder. “Do you think I’m the monster here?”

“I never said you were.” The cop blew out a breath, watching the pair and wondering if Jensen knew how much he’d changed. In all the time that he’d known him, Beaver couldn’t recall seeing Jensen this gentle, this caring, this protective with anyone. “I had to check it out, Jensen. You could’ve made my job easier by reporting this, the abuse, the kidnapping, and what Morgan did to this kid earlier, so I would’ve been clued in.”

Jensen frowned slightly but before he could speak up, Chris was stepping forward. “We did contact you,” he replied, not caring for this surprise. “I sent you everything we had. You telling me that you didn’t get any of it?”

“I didn’t know anything was up until those assholes landed on my doorstep tonight demanding I do something because Jensen had kidnapped one of Morgan’s people.” Beaver could see the looks being passed around and figured heads would be rolling in the Ackles’ household soon. “If you have copies of whatever you sent, give it to me now and I’ll get someone on it. Any evidence you can give me should also help the lawyer here with her case; I mean, it’s pretty plain Morgan’s obsessed with this kid. He’s not gonna give up just cause we tell him he doesn’t have a legal leg to stand on.”

“Find out why our stuff never made it to Jim’s desk…and you had better find out who is screwing up, so you can deal him or her with before I do.” Jensen aimed these words toward Chris and then whispered something against a sleepy Jared’s ear and felt more than saw his nod. “Jared’s been through enough tonight. I’m taking him to bed and I better not see any of you tomorrow unless you have good news for me.”

Talking about some of what he’d been through had brought the memories back, so Jared was only too glad to be able to lay in Jensen’s arms in the big bed. He started to relax with both Jensen’s hand and mind soothing him.

“Jen?” He lifted his head sleepily as something occurred to him. “I know this isn’t important but…will we ever have sex?” he asked with a blush to his cheeks. “Just kinda curious.”

Jared’s innocent curiosity sent Jensen’s brain firing in all sorts of ways, but he shoved those urges down for the moment, building plans for a much more special time he hoped to give this boy one day soon.

“As soon as you believe that making love between us is because I love you and not because you have to, as soon as you understand you are free from that life, as soon as you let me remove these, then we will make love, _cher_.” Jensen’s finger just lightly brushed over leather and he sensed the shudder move through Jared. “Do you think one day you’ll believe that?”

It was hard because so much of Jared still lived in fear, especially now that he knew that Morgan was still insisting on his return. The fear of having this taken away was huge, but the love he felt for and from Jensen seemed to be helping him to begin to believe it more, to want it more.

“Soon,” he murmured, lids heavy after the long day and then the night he’d been through. He was so tired that he didn’t even need to hear Jensen’s soft drawling voice whispering him to sleep. He fell to sleep on his own and actually dreamed of happier times to come.

The next few days were up and down for mortal and vampires. Jensen was torn between taking care of his businesses like normal, finding out who the hell in his employ was working against him, and helping Jared adjust to being more than a hooker.

The hassle from Morgan’s people didn’t decrease even after two judges ruled that Jared had signed an illegal contract and was no longer in the employ of Morgan Escorts. They also ruled that Jared was debt free and was to be left alone. There were no direct threats against Jared, but it was clear that people across the street were watching the boy constantly, even following him when he tried to take a walk with Danneel to the street market in the Quarter; it still scared him because he was afraid they’d kidnap him again.

The day when one goon did get too close, it resulted in the man running away with a broken hand after Danneel discouraged his attempt to coerce Jared into an alley to ‘talk’. After that Katie pushed the no contact order, but it seemed like Jeffrey Dean Morgan and his top people were no longer in the city; that fact, however, didn’t relieve Jensen’s worry since he knew the man wasn’t going to give up that easily.

For days after that incident, Jared refused to leave Jensen’s side even when it meant staying in the limo with Chad while he went to handle business that Chris couldn’t deal with. On those days, Matt would often go with them so he could begin to help Jared get caught up on lessons he’d missed after being removed from school. Jensen and Matt had come to an agreement about this after Jared had asked one night if Jensen thought he was smart enough to go back to school once everything settled down.

“You are smart enough to do anything you set your mind to, darlin’,” Jensen had replied and set about proving it by having Matt bring Jared a laptop of his own. Matt had begun to leave simple lessons for Jared to work on daily, which also helped to distract the boy if Jensen wasn’t with him.

It was one night a few weeks later, as Jensen returned from a late meeting that he had refused to take Jared to, that he felt it safe to try to take Jared to the next step in his healing. The threats and fear were still there as were the nightmares, but Jared was growing more confident each day. In fact the other morning when Jensen had woken up in the bed alone and had bolted through the house with terrified thoughts that whoever was working against him had grabbed Jared, he began to realize that Jared was healing more than any of them really realized.

He’d finally found Jared in the kitchen with the cook; the boy had been covered in flour from his attempt to help the woman cook pancakes. The happy, boyish, dimpled smile took Jensen’s breath away, and he decided it was time to give Jared the surprise he’d been planning.

That night there had been a fancy party that Jensen was supposed to attend. But because certain people that might know Morgan or even might have attended one of his ‘special’ events were also going to be there, Jensen had bowed out.

“I want to show him off but not to those people,” he’d told Chris that afternoon as they stood on the rooftop watching Chad and Mike finish up Jared’s surprise while Matt had taken Jared into the city to a bookstore for more books.

“Morgan’s in hiding, but I still feel an edge in the city,” Chris remarked casually. “His people are still watching even if they are staying on the fringe of the order. He’ll never be fully safe…unless you turn him.”

This had been one of the larger issues Jensen had been dealing with. He knew it was frowned upon by his circle of vampires to have a relationship with a human without planning to turn him or her. Emotionally it was hurtful to both, as long-term relationships were rare because of the aging aspect, but Jensen had promised himself not to turn Jared, at least not this soon.

“He’s still a boy, Chris. He lost his childhood; he’s never had anything real or a chance to really experience life. I won’t take what he could have away from him by making him 22 forever,” he replied, toeing a bag of something on the roof and giving a small smile when Chad yelped about getting bit by one of the monster critters. “Let him live a little. Let me be able to give him a life, let him learn to be human…then I’ll discuss it with him.”

It was a discussion they’d had before as Jared never failed to amaze Jensen with his quick mind and questions. They’d been sitting in the courtyard one evening after dinner because Jared was edgy that day and wanted fresh air.

“Will you make me what you are?” he’d asked out of the blue and Jensen had nearly choked because that was not something he ever thought the mortal would ask, or a least not this soon.

“No, I won’t,” Jensen replied when he found his voice again and then sought to explain his answer when he sensed Jared’s thoughts were turning negative; the boy was afraid that he wasn’t even good enough to be a vampire. “I won’t turn you…at least not yet because I want you to experience life as a human first, Jay. I want you to be able to do all the things you want as a human because being a vampire is not easy; surely you’re beginning to realize that it’s not like those movies and books that still make Matt want to bang his head in.

“I’m not saying I won’t ever turn you, but I just want to give you time to decide that I and this life are what you really want after you’ve gotten used to living freely.” He cupped Jared’s face between his hands to kiss him softly. “You’re getting braver each day you’re free of him, so just take your time. We have so much of it.”

Chris had heard the excuse and he did understand Jensen’s concern about turning someone…especially since his only other time at trying to turn someone into a vampire hadn’t ended well. Now, he continued to try to make Jensen see reason. “You know there are those who don’t approve of vampires and mortals mixing. If you keep Jared…” He sighed when fingers grabbed for his throat. “You know I meant if you keep him as a companion or even a lover that they may insist you either turn him or let him go. There are rules we live by, Jensen. Rules that so far you’ve been able to avoid, but this one is a bit touchier. Just keep that in mind.”

“Jensen!” Jared’s voice calling from the courtyard announced the end of the discussion as Jensen told the others to finish up and then get lost for the night. He took one last look around and then went down to greet his obviously happy and relaxed friend.

“I take it that you found books you liked?” he asked with a teasing smile that tightened a bit when Jared ran into his arms to hug him. “Jay? Hey, what’s up? Everyone okay?” He didn’t sense fear or anything negative in Jared and saw that Matt Cohen looked pleased…perhaps a little too pleased so instantly Jensen was on guard. “What’s wrong?”

“We were on the way back from the bookstore…oh, the delivery will be here in the morning with his books, and I got a text from the online school Jared’s taking classes with.” Matt met Jensen’s eyes to reassure his employer and friend that it was good news and nothing to worry about. “You want to tell him, Jared?”

“I got A’s in my classes!” Jared was practically bouncing in his new sneakers as he showed Jensen the message from his online instructor. “All A’s, Jen! I’m smart! I really am smart just like you said I was!”

Jensen’s eyes allowed him to read the glowing text of praise quickly and then he was pulling Jared back in for a hard hug. “Of course you’re smart,” He saw Matt slip inside to leave them alone for a moment. “I am so proud of you, Jared. I knew you could do this if you put your mind to it.”

Jared hadn’t been so sure when he first started since he was so far behind, but he had tried to remain confident and patient even when it took him longer to understand something that Matt or Jensen or the teacher on the laptop explained to him.

Now as he took in the grades for this period, he was so happy. “I wanted to be smart for you,” he told Jensen as they went inside. “This way when you do take me to a party or someplace, I won’t be dumb and embarrass you.”

“You weren’t dumb before, Jay, and nothing you could do would ever embarrass me.” Jensen reminded himself that it would be a long time before Jared was convinced that all the lies he’d been told about himself were just that: lies. In the meantime he decided he was definitely giving Jared his surprise that night. “I’ll have Danneel make reservations for someplace special in the Quarter tomorrow night. I think it’s time we stop hiding so much; people should see the person who has changed so much of my life.”

Jared’s cheeks went red at that since he still didn’t see himself as all that special. Then he blinked. “Tomorrow?” he asked curiously.

“Tomorrow,” Jensen nodded, slipping his hands up to frame Jared’s face. He was glad that were not as many shadows in the boy’s face as there had been before. “Tonight, tonight my sweet Jared, is just for you and me.” He kissed Jared slowly, still willing himself to be patient and go slowly despite how the younger man’s innocent touches and sounds took his blood to boiling faster these days. “I have a surprise for you after dinner.”

“Can we skip dinner and go for the surprise?” Jared laughed as he was lifted off his feet and into a hug; he sometimes forgot that Jensen’s strength was so much greater than his. “Oh, I brought you a surprise from the bakery in the Quarter too.”

“Hmm, I thought you tasted like powdered sugar.” Jensen smiled and led Jared inside so he could share his day in the Quarter with him. “By the way…how many books did you buy that they need to deliver them instead of you and Matt just bringing them home?”

“Oh, we brought some of the books home, Jen,” Jared replied before he headed off to show Danneel and the cook his grades. “They all wouldn’t fit so Matt told ‘em to deliver them instead.” He paused with a faint frown. “Is…that okay?” he asked, thinking he should’ve checked with Jensen before picking out so many books. “I mean, Matt or you can call and cancel ‘em. I don’t need…”

Jensen crossed the short space between them to gently lay kisses over the crease in Jared’s brow. “Whatever you want, _cher_ ,” he whispered. “Whatever you want.”

What Jared wanted right then was to share his happy news with his friends and, despite what he had said earlier, he also wanted dinner. So dinner that night ended up being a celebration of Jared’s success and was shared with those who normally lived in the house. The only one missing was Mike Rosenbaum who’d told Jensen he had something to take care of, but that he’d make it up to Jared later in the week.

Jensen meant to ask Chris if Mike was acting strangely, but he became distracted by the conversation between Chad and Jared about which horror monster was better, Dracula or the Wolfman.

By the time dinner was over and Jensen was finally able to not so subtly kick his friends out of the house, or at least to the other side for the rest of the night, he’d forgotten all about his concerns in favor of taking a happy and smiling Jared by the hand. “Come to the roof with me?”

“The roof?” Jared blinked but nodded, following Jensen up a set of steps that he knew led to the door to the roof. He had seen the stairs but had never been out there since Matt had once told him that the rooftop of the home was where Jensen often went to be alone. “Am…I allowed up here?”

“Allowed?” Jensen gave him an odd look. “Why wouldn’t you be allowed?” he asked curiously. “Jared, there’s no place in my home that you aren’t allowed to go…except Chad’s room and that’s only because he’s a slob of a vampire and I’m afraid the mess might eat you. Of course you’re allowed on the roof…now especially.”

Jensen pushed open the door and heard the soft ‘oh’ that came when Jared stepped through the door. The roof of this part of the home was like an outdoor garden complete with a covered section that included a large chaise like lounge, a firepit, hanging pots of flowers, and a small stereo system. A short distance away was what appeared to be a newly built section, and a large something was covered by a tarp.

“Even at my age I need to be alone sometimes, so I made this because the flowers, the brickwork, and the gazebo like feel remind me of my home in the bayou where I grew up,” the vampire told him as he let Jared look around the area. “I’d like to take you down there one day as well.”

“The…bayou?” Jared tensed at that but reminded himself that not every place down in that area would hurt him. He had been someplace in one of the bayou areas by Morgan and his men; he could recall being told that he would die in the bayou if he tried to escape.

“Where my family home is won’t harm you, Jared.” Jensen felt the burst of fear and understood it. “We’d only go when you feel safe enough to and if it scared you, we would leave right away. But tonight isn’t meant to upset you. Tonight I have something special for you.”

Jared hated that something so innocent as a trip to see where Jensen had grown up would scare him. “Jen, we can…what is that?” He looked closer at the tarp covered area when he thought he heard something under it move.

“Your surprise.” Jensen stepped up close to kiss his lips sweetly. “I’ve been planning this for a few weeks, and I had already planned to surprise you with them tonight. Your grades arriving just made the night even more special.” He slipped his hand down to mesh it with Jared’s. “I did a lot of research, on my own for once since Chris said this was all on me, and finally chose what I hope you’ll like.”

“Huh?” Jared tried to look at Jensen but also keep his eyes on the tarp, fingers itching to peek when he heard a soft laugh.

“You can take the cover off, Jay. They’re your pets after all,” Jensen told him and then held his breath, hoping this wasn’t too soon or a mistake, as Jared moved closer slowly, almost as if afraid to touch the tarp. “I was assured they don’t bite…though I think one did try to eat Chad this morning, but that was his own fault.”

“Pets?” Jared’s head turned to look at Jensen and then he was excitedly lifting the tarp to peek under it. “Oh!” he gasped as he saw what was in the well-built good-sized new home: two fluffy and floppy eared rabbits. He eagerly finished pulling off the tarp and tossed it to the side. “Bunnies! They’re bunnies!”

Jensen smiled at the happiness he heard and felt in Jared’s voice as he moved closer to view his two new pets; soon the young man was sitting on the cement in front of the cage with both soft brown and black bunnies in his lap. “Like ‘em?” he asked after the tightness in his throat went away that had come upon listening to Jared talk softly and lovingly to the bunnies.

“You got me baby bunnies.” Jared was so in awe at the small at the two small, soft animals that it took him a moment to recall that he wasn’t alone on the roof. “Are they really mine?” he asked quietly. “Forever?”

“Forever, darlin’.” Jensen nodded as he knelt down to run his hand over Jared’s shoulder and then ran a hesitant finger in between two long ears to feel the soft fur. “Are you okay with them?” he asked, still concerned that maybe Jared wasn’t ready for pets, but he laughed when he found his arms filled with a laughing Jared and two balls of baby bunny. “I guess you are then.”

“I love them, Jen!” Jared adored all animals, but he especially adored baby animals, and while he usually loved dogs, he really loved these little baby bunnies whose ears were longer than their bodies right then. “I love them and I love you!” He wasn’t even fully aware that he was giving Jensen laughing kisses until he heard a soft murmur to slow down.

Their eyes met and Jared felt the air around them change slightly. It wasn’t the first time since he’d been with Jensen that he felt these feelings, but it was the first time that he didn’t look away or that Jensen didn’t pull back or make some comment that broke the spell.

Jensen ached for more. He desperately wanted more but refused to break his oath to give Jared the time to choose. He felt the desire building in Jared as well, but he knew the young man didn’t really understand what love was yet; he didn’t want to confuse him, so he finally pushed easily to his feet.

“So, you’ll have to name your pets, and then I’ll have little collars made for them.” He coughed while taking a step away, needing to calm down when he heard his name called. “Jay, I…”

Jared gave each bunny a kiss to the head before slipping them into the cage to eat and play. He then stood and reached for Jensen. “Jen…” He’d been considering this for a few days but still hadn’t been sure he could until now.

Now as he considered that Jensen trusted him enough to give him pets that he loved, that Jensen was proud of him for something as simple as good grades from an online school and everything else that the vampire had done for him, Jared felt safe enough to make his own choice toward their future.

“Jen?” He reached out to lay a trembling hand on Jensen’s arm. “Please?”

Jensen had been trying to control his burning need for more than just simple innocent touches when he turned to meet wide earnest eyes. “Jay…anything…what?” He was trying to think of a light way to calm the building heat between them when suddenly it felt like he was punched in the chest as he watched Jared take a deep breath before slowly holding out his hands to him, turning them over to show the buckle on the leather cuffs that Jensen detested so much it hurt. “Jared?”

“You…you once told me that when…when I was ready to move on, when I began to fully believe I was free of Morgan, his lies and abuse, free of what he tried to make me and would let you remove these, that I’d be ready to take the next step between us.” Jared hoped his hands weren’t shaking as badly as the rest of him was; he locked eyes with Jensen while licking his lips to try to wet them when it seemed like his mouth had gone dry.

“Yes, that’s what I said.” Jensen tried to sound calm, to keep his tone easy, but every piece of him was on edge as he watched Jared’s face; he saw the expected fear but also a rare look of determination when he stepped closer and held out his wrists to him. “Jared?”

“Take them off?” Jared asked softly and then stood and waited.

**TBC**


	9. Chapter 9

**Eternal Love**

**Chapter Nine**

“Take them off?”

Three words that Jensen Ackles was beginning to think he’d never hear. Three words that had him moving quickly, before the young man who’d spoken them could begin to doubt his choice.

“With pleasure,” Jensen replied in a voice thick with emotion. He fought the urge to just rip them off because he understood the huge emotional step that Jared had just taken and he wanted him to understand it as well. “Sit with me while I do it.” He was careful to keep his touch light as he led a shaking Jared to sit on the chaise like lounge that had been built into his roof retreat. “Are you sure about this, Jay?” he asked and then silently kicked himself for even giving Jared the chance to change his mind.

“I…yeah…I want ‘em off, Jen.” Jared suddenly couldn’t stand to feel the cuffs on any longer; it was as if his decision had freed him and the cuffs were now burning his skin. “Please? Please, get them…”

A soft kiss cut the plea off. “I’m taking them off, _cher_ ,” Jensen assured him, proceeding to do just that while placing light kisses along Jared’s jaw to keep him distracted. As the first cuff came off, Jensen could see how raw the skin looked, and he realized that Jared must have been twisting the cuffs more in the last day or so. “You’ve rubbed the skin raw, Jay. If you wanted them off sooner why didn’t you say something?” he asked, bringing the first freed wrist up, running his lips over the abrasions and letting a small amount of power go out to ease any pain there might be.

“I didn’t realize I was doing that.” Jared swallowed hard at the sudden warmth of Jensen’s lips brushing over his wrist. “I was kinda waiting until I felt the moment was right…like tonight. I…I just felt that I wanted them off.” He bit his lip as he watched Jensen’s fingers remove the other cuff before the vampire proceeded to kiss that wrist as well. The pain that had suddenly flared up quickly died away. “Was…was I wrong or…”

“No, you were definitely not wrong, Jay,” Jensen was quick to reassure; he made a mental note to ask Stella to remove any remaining marks or redness tomorrow. For the moment he wanted Jared’s mind off any lingering fears or doubts he might have over this choice. “Does that feel better?”

“Yeah, definitely.” Jared wasn’t sure why, but it felt like something heavy had lifted from him the moment that second leather cuff went sailing across the roof. “Jensen?” He pressed his palm against the one the vampire had put up. “Make…make love to me?”

Jensen lifted his eyes to meet the frightened hazel eyes, sensing the boy’s fear of the memories that sex might bring back but also his determination to take that step into freedom. “Yes,” he murmured and proceeded to bring Jared into his arms to kiss him slowly, lovingly for several moments until he felt the tension ease out of him. “Let me take you downstairs?”

“Can…can we make love here?” Jared liked it out here and thought it would be nice; he thought Jensen might agree as he saw a flash of deeper emotion enter deep green eyes. “It smells like magnolia and lilacs and…I…I feel good out here.”

Jensen was surprised that Jared could smell the magnolia since there was just a little bit from a tree his mother had planted. He felt something shiver inside at this little thing and knew he would never lose this boy or let him go without a fight. “Yes, we can make love here if you want,” he nodded, fingers brushing back through long soft dark hair and curving around the back of Jared’s neck. “Let me light the fire in the fire pit and a few candles so you’ll be able to see me.”

Jared moved back on the chaise and quietly watched each movement Jensen made. He could tell that the vampire was used to doing things at a faster speed; he was obviously trying to keep his motions at a human speed for Jared’s sake. “Umm, you’ll have to tell me how you like it.” He stared at his fingers as they twisted nervously against the cover on the lounge. “I mean…I’m used to being told what to do…I’m not sure I’ll actually be any good at this or…”

“You’ll be fine, Jay.” Jensen turned from lighting the last candle and flipped a switch that let a gauze like cover fall down, offering some privacy for the covered area. “We’ll take it slow. If you get scared or if anything brings back bad memories, tell me and I’ll either talk you through it or we’ll stop.” He stepped to the end of the chaise and gave a slow sexy smile. “Relax and let yourself enjoy this, _cher_ ,” he encouraged while kneeling, holding darkening eyes as he began to slowly unlace Jared’s sneakers. “This isn’t about just my pleasure. This is about you; you actually enjoying sex for the first time…ever.”

“Umm, I’m better at the whole laying here and taking it I think.” Jared hoped Jensen couldn’t see his cheeks blushing but knew with the vampire’s better eyesight that he could. “I don’t want you to be disappointed in…”

“I am not going to be disappointed in you, Jared.” Jensen longed for the day when Jared’s confidence was better, but he trusted that it would come with time, like this moment had. “You might find that you’re disappointed in me given that it has been a long time since I’ve made love with someone who actually mattered to me.” He moved up until he was sitting on the edge of the lounge beside the nervous mortal. “This is the part that I want you to learn because making love when it’s with someone that you love, care for, and respect is so much more than plain sex.” He curved his lips up in a slow smile. “I’ll also take longer since I do aim for you to enjoy this night.”

Jared’s eyes widened at that while it seemed like his body heated just from the low sexy drawl in Jensen’s voice when he spoke. “I told you that I’ve…”

“Yeah, and I’m telling you that this time you will enjoy it.” Jensen planned to make sure of that. If nothing else, he would see the same look of pleasure on Jared’s face tonight as he had that first night in his bedroom when he’d gotten the boy to pleasure himself. “Trust me, _cher_?” he asked, leaning closer to begin to slowly kiss Jared again, running his lips over his jaw and down the length of his neck to find the hollow of this throat.

“Hmmm, do trust you, Jen,” Jared murmured, gasping at the feel of normal teeth and light scruff touching his throat. “Question?”

“God, you do have bad timing for those, but go ahead while I’m distracted with making out with you,” Jensen muttered in return. He was trying to be cautious with what he did since it was quickly plain to him that his reaction to Jared was multiplied about 10 times more than normal, and he could hear the pulse beating near where he was kissing.

“Ummm, do you ever…bite people during sex?” Jared blushed again but he’d seen too many movies that ended badly for the human partner and figured he’d better ask now. “Y’know, heat of the moment type of stuff or…Jen? Jen, are you trying not to laugh or wondering how you got stuck with me?”

Jensen actually had been fighting not to bite when that question reminded him of Jared’s innocence. Then he was trying not to smile. “No, I am not wondering how I got stuck with you because I don’t feel like that and…yeah, I was trying not to laugh cause only you would think to ask me that just as I was telling myself not to bite.” He felt the body next to him go still and smiled more softly this time. “I am still a vampire, Jay. It’s in my nature to want to bite when my body gets turned on. But it’s my control that keeps me from ever doing that.” He lifted Jared’s face enough to see his eyes. “I would never bite you without your consent, darlin’. If you’re worried about that then we can…”

“NO, no, don’t wanna stop.” Jared shook his head, hands reaching up to grab for Jensen before the vampire could pull back but relaxed again when he realized Jensen wasn’t moving away. “I’m stupid. Just tell me to shut up or better yet, kiss me to keep me quiet.”

“You’re not stupid,” Jensen corrected, adding with a smile, “but I will kiss you if you insist.”

When Jensen kissed Jared this time, he let the heat build slowly, allowing the young man to adjust to a deeper, more intense kiss. He wanted to keep it slow, letting it build as he also worked to get him used to the feel of his hands caressing over his chest, over his shirt, but he began to lose that battle with each soft little sound Jared made.

“So beautiful like this, Jay,” he whispered against soft lips that opened on a soft little murmur of Jensen’s name. The vampire hesitated briefly until he met Jared’s eyes and saw him nod slightly. Only then did Jensen let his tongue slip between those lips to gently explore and play.

Jared wasn’t sure exactly what he was expecting from Jensen. He knew the vampire had promised to go slow, to be gentle, but in his experience sex wasn’t ever slow or gentle, so he was a little confused right then. When he decided to let Jensen take the kiss deeper, he was prepared for a rough intrusion and tried to silently remember how not to gag, but he was instead stunned at what he felt.

Jensen’s tongue slipped past his lips slowly, tentatively, as if testing his response and only when Jared didn’t tense or panic, did he feel it begin to explore his mouth and play with Jared’s tongue.

Jensen deepened the kiss only once he felt Jared respond more to it and felt the first shy touch of a responding tongue meeting his. He gave the boy gentle encouragement over their link while finally letting one hand slip under Jared’s shirt to begin to caress warm flesh.

Because Jensen had seen the memories, had seen the events through Jared’s mind as well as the wounds inflicted, he knew the places best not to touch this first time, but he also wanted to show the young man that not every touch would hurt him.

“Don’t think, just feel,” he whispered against the boy’s ear as he began to peel the t-shirt up, smiling as Jared moved to help him get the shirt off. “Still okay, _cher_?” he asked after having his breath catch in his throat at seeing Jared with the lights of the fire, the candles shining on him.

“Touch me?” Jared asked quietly, shyly. He wasn’t used to asking or even wanting to be touched but found that he wanted to feel Jensen’s hands on him again; he gasped when those plush lips closed over a nipple and instinctively Jared’s hand moved to push back but then stopped. “Jen?”

Lifting his eyes while letting his lips smooth over the hardening little nub, Jensen rolled his tongue over it and saw those big dark eyes go even darker as they widened in surprise. “No pain or shame, Jay,” he murmured lowly. “Okay?”

“Yeah.” Jared lowered his hand to the chaise only to have it lifted to touch Jensen when he pulled back to remove his own shirt and Jared itched to touch.

He’d seen Jensen without a shirt before. They’d begun to slowly touch one another weeks ago, sometimes making out in bed or the sofa; it had always been just light and easy stuff and Jensen had always been careful to stop before things went too far, especially if Jared tensed. Tonight, however, it all seemed so much more and Jared hoped he didn’t say or do something stupid to embarrass them both.

“You won’t,” Jensen smiled and took Jared’s hand to press it to the center of his chest. “Just relax and do what your body wants. I want to see you and hear you while I make love with you, Jared.” He stayed still to allow the hesitant fingers to move over his chest and down along his stomach. “I want you to know that you can touch me and I want you to tell me if my touch bothers you.”

Jared was fascinated by the lean muscled body he was touching, watching the muscles under his fingers ripple. “Wanna feel you more, Jensen.” He swallowed thickly. “I want you to…oh God,” he groaned at the feel of fingers brushing over the front of his jeans. “Jen!”

“So sensitive,” Jensen murmured, knowing he had to be careful here as his fingers began to work on removing the denim Jared wore along with his boxer briefs, He could feel his emotions pick up as he took in the body that he’d seen once and had dreamed of touching ever since. “Can I touch you, _cher_?” he asked as he sensed Jared’s unease with his body was heightened now due to both old and new scars.

Jared nodded, unsure why Jensen thought he needed to ask, but then that train of thought was lost at the first touch of lips to a scar on his lower stomach. “Jen?” He lifted his head to watch and felt his already interested cock begin to harden more. “Is this…I mean…y’know normally I don’t…umm, shut me up?”

“I like to hear your voice.” Jensen heard the slight hint of concern, understanding that Jared wasn’t sure what was right or wrong, so while he would’ve liked to have continued making love to every piece of Jared’s body until he could erase all the badness that had happened to it, the vampire knew neither of them were going to be able to draw this time out. “I like to hear you, touch you…” He paused to lick his way back up until he came to Jared’s mouth. “Taste you.” He licked over those soft lips and adored the sounds he doubted that Jared even knew he was making. “I wanted to draw this out, to make sure you got the attention you deserve this first time but…Jay, I don’t think I can.”

“Just wanna feel you, Jen,” Jared muttered, body heating to the point where he no longer was able to think of anything past right then. “How do you…?”

“Can you roll over for me?” Jensen kept his touch on Jared as the younger man rolled to his stomach, feeling him tense subtly but also groan as his cock rubbed on the chaise. “On your knees?”

This time Jared tensed more but did as he was asked without question. This was a position he knew all too well, so he knew what to expect. It brought back flashes of dark memories that he struggled to push down; he knew he was safe with Jensen but too many years of abuse, of rough sex, and uncaring partners left him without anything else to compare it to, so he got confused when he realized he was only feeling gentle hands stroking over his back and down his hip while Jensen smoothed kisses along his neck.

Jensen kept silent as he felt and saw the flashes of images that Jared fought against. He wanted to speak up, to reassure, but he knew this was something that Jared needed to fight back as much as he could on his own. It was only when he saw the muscles in his shoulders beginning to bunch up, heard a soft whimper and saw the way Jared was biting his lip while clamping his eyes closed against the pain he was expecting that Jensen spoke.

“I love you, Jared,” he said quietly, fingers stroking back through soft hair, lips pressing light kisses to his neck. “This might feel a little odd at first but just try to stay relaxed for me, okay?”

“Yeah, okay.” Jared steeled himself for searing pain, but it was hard when he kept getting distracted by kisses or soft touches over his body. He felt the chaise shift a little as Jensen knelt more on it and then he felt denim brush along his legs, but before he could ask anything, he was jumping at the feel of something cool pouring along the crease of his ass. “Jensen?” He tried to look back to see what was happening but only met dark green eyes. “What…what’re you doing?”

“Prepping you.” Jensen had silently prayed Jared wouldn’t ask that question because that would mean he had never been properly stretched before sex. As he saw the confusion shine back at him, he seriously vowed to hurt the people who had scarred this boy so much. “I need to open you so it won’t hurt you when I enter you, Jay,” he explained while lightly using the tip of his index finger to circle the puckered hole that he located. He met and and held curious eyes. “No one’s ever done this for you, have they?”

Jared’s eyes burned from the emotions he felt radiating from Jensen, but then he lost himself in the kiss the vampire offered while the finger moved slowly, carefully in gentle circles before slipping in a little more.

He’d expected pain, he expected fast and rough because that’s all Jared had ever known sex to be. This time, however, he gasped at the new sensations building inside him, and he began to relax again.

“There you go, darlin’.” Jensen felt the tension slowly melting away as Jared realized he wasn’t being hurt. “Just listen to my voice or thoughts and relax. I just want to make sure I don’t hurt you.”

“I know you won’t hurt me, Jen.” Jared felt that in his heart, knowing that any pain he did feel wouldn’t be intentional and would go away quickly. It was a matter of surviving the gentle process of opening him that might be hard as the young man quickly discovered his cock coming to life a lot more with every touch of Jensen’s finger. “Oh my God!” he gasped at one motion and thought he heard Jensen’s low voice murmuring to himself in that other language. “Jensen?”

“You are so damn tight, Jay.” Jensen’s voice was low and husky, his drawl dropping lower as he struggled to contain the urge to claim, to take what was being offered, that was burning his blood when he felt tight heat clamp down around his single finger. He knew he was not going to hold out as long as he’d hoped. “Please, for the love of all things holy, tell me before you would go out at night for him that you did something to stretch yourself for those assholes. Jared?”

Jared closed his eyes, resting his head on his arms to avoid meeting the green eyes that he knew would be looking at him for a positive answer. “I…I did once but…it wasn’t allowed so…I never did again,” he admitted softly, starting to tense again only to feel warm thoughts washing over him along with light kisses to remind him that those memories were his past. “I’m…used to…I mean, you don’t have to…ummm.”

“Yes, I do.” Jensen would do his best to make sure this didn’t hurt Jared. “I will never make love with you without some type of prep or stretching, Jared. Once we do this a few times, it won’t take quite as long because your body will be more used to me but right now, we still have to be careful in case you’re not fully healed inside.”

The care that Jensen took in opening him reminded Jared that he was safe and that he could finally accept that everything Jensen had said about being loved and free was true. There were a few moments when he tensed, but Jensen would always pause to find out why or let him adjust; slowly, too slowly for Jared it seemed, one finger became two and then after what seemed like forever, a third finger was added.

There was a slight painful pressure when the third finger was added, but it didn’t last long. Then Jared’s mind was completely blown when Jensen moved those fingers a different way and the younger man swore his eyes popped open and his whole body was lit on fire as something inside him was touched.

“Jensen?” He was lost for several moments, his body fighting the urge to push back, to gain that feeling again. He gasped when it happened again and Jared might’ve come from right then if fingers suddenly hadn’t reached around to squeeze the base of his cock, helping to stop the orgasm that Jared didn’t want to come this soon. “What…what did you do?”

“Like that, _cher_?” Jensen chuckled as he felt Jared’s reaction to the first touch against his prostate. “If you liked that with just my fingers then you will love what it feels like when I hit that spot with my cock. You think you can take me now?”

“I could’ve done that…how long have you been doing that? Jared muttered without thinking. He looked back when he felt Jensen move and felt his spit drying up as he watched jeans and briefs get skimmed down Jensen’s legs. He had a brief second to marvel at the lean, toned body before he caught the way Jensen’s lips curved and remembered his thoughts could be heard; suddenly he was blushing and tried to bury his face in his arms but his chin was caught and held between gentle fingers. “I promise I’ll stop thinking stupid…mhmm.”

Hot lips claimed his in a slightly deeper kiss that Jensen held until some of that fear melted away with a sigh of pleasure. “Nothing you think or say is stupid, Jared,” he murmured in between kisses that heated with each one. He moved back into position behind Jared, allowing him to feel the dripping head of his cock brushing over the crease of his ass. “I love hearing what you think or say. I love that you feel safe enough with me to offer those little opinions. I love you, Jay.”

Jared wondered if he’d ever get used to hearing those words said so easily to him. “I…I love you too, Jen,” he whispered back, meeting the kiss more urgently as his body heated. “Please…let me feel you?”

Jensen nodded. “Do you want me to use a condom?” He asked with an easy shrug. “Vampires can’t get STDs so I know I’m clean, but I wasn’t sure what you’re…” He closed his eyes to ask for patience against the sudden urge to hurt Jeffery Dean Morgan and his bastards. “I will if you want me to.”

“No, I want to feel you,” Jared replied, feeling the brief spurt of anger but knowing it wasn’t at him but at those who had hurt him. “I…I want to feel you when you come, Jensen.” He let his lashes cover his eyes as he added quietly since he knew his words would still be heard. “I…I need to know this time when I feel it that it’s because I want to feel it and that it’s you. Only you from now on.”

“Yes.” Jensen kissed him slowly this time, using the kiss as a distraction as he began to ease the head of his dripping cock into the well-stretched hole. He could feel his fangs against his tongue as he fought an internal battle to go slowly. “Hold still for me, darlin’. You are still so damn tight and it’s been a long time since I’ve done this, so my body wants to go faster than you’re ready for.”

Jared wasn’t sure what to expect. He felt the burn of pain as his body worked to stretch more to allow the thick, long, hard cock to enter him. The first sensations caused him to tense, fingers digging into his arms as a flash of memory hit him, but then he heard Jensen’s voice speaking in his ear, felt his fingers carding back through his hair until he realized the pain had receded.

“Shhh, tell me if the pain gets too bad and I’ll stop.” Jensen was sure he’d implode if he did but he wasn’t risking Jared’s comfort or enjoyment for his own, not after all he’d done to get the young man to this stage.

“I’m…I’m good,” Jared told him after several moments of working through his memories to know where he was and who he was with. “Move?”

Jensen gave a slow roll of his hips that slid his cock in another half inch; his blood was boiling with lust and need as he watched Jared’s response to each move. He could tell that there was still some pain but also pleasure. He saw the flashes of memory but knew that Jared would be dealing with those memories for a long time to come, and he would help him cope just as he was helped over his own dark times.

The muscles in Jared’s back shook from the strain of not moving even though he wanted to, but Jared tried to stay still; he wasn’t sure if he was supposed to move or… “Oh!” he gasped when suddenly Jensen’s hips snapped forward and he felt that electric wave of pleasure sweep through him with so much more intensity than before.

“You can move however you want, Jay,” Jensen told him, having heard his thoughts and wishing for the day when this boy wasn’t so scared of what anyone else would have taken for granted. “Just give me one more…” He gave another roll that soon took him flush and he both felt and heard Jared’s heartbeat match his own. “God, you feel so good, Jared,” he groaned, forcing his fangs to recede before closing his lips over Jared’s neck to kiss him deeply, not caring if he did leave marks for the morning. “So good like this, so good for me.”

The low sexy drawl made Jared shiver almost as much as feeling Jensen moving inside him and hitting that spot did, and he could feel his cock responding to each thrust. “Jen…” he gasped, hips thrusting back before he knew it to match and meet each thrust forward that Jensen made. “Jen…need…ohh.”

“What? Tell me what you need, Jay.” Jensen suspected it was the same thing he so desperately needed, but he was fighting the urge as best as he could, wanting to give this moment to Jared. “Tell me, darlin’.”

“Need to come!” Jared gasped as a strong arm wrapped around his chest to pull him back suddenly, body lighting up as in this position his prostate was hit with every move either of them made. He was torn between touching himself or trying to reach back for Jensen when he felt Jensen’s other hand rubbing lighting over his stomach before moving lower to tease over his now steadily dripping cock. “Jensen!”

The broken voice told Jensen that Jared had reached the end of his endurance. It also told him the boy was confused by the overwhelming feelings this brought him. “I’ve got you, Jay,” he murmured against his ear, teeth gently tugging on an earlobe while he easily held Jared against him and continued to pleasure them both as he began a steady stroking over his cock. “You can come whenever you want to now.”

“No…no…need you to come first.” Jared’s brain was overheating from too much intense feeling and need; his eyes were seeing little dots in front of them, but he shivered when he felt teeth raking over his neck and sensed they were not Jensen’s normal ones. “Jen?”

“Shit!” Jensen hadn’t realized his fangs had come out until that moment, but he was helpless to fight them or pull back from Jared even as the boy’s hand was reaching back to try to find some purchase in his hair as if afraid he was stopping. “Jay…I…fuck!” He groaned, closing his eyes against too many needs when he felt a light touch on his mind. “I need to slow down until I get control or I might…”

“Jensen, if you stop right now I will not only not ever have sex with you ever again, but I will also play video games with Chad all day long for one whole week while you’re trying to work!” Jared gasped, feeling his fingers catch onto dark blond hair. “Don’t care if you bite me a little…it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been bitten, but…”

“But it sure as hell will be the last unless I’m the one doing the biting,” Jensen growled, feeling Jared’s inner muscles clamping down on his cock with each thrust now. He knew he was so close to coming, but he was still trying to hold back. “Jay, I…this…this isn’t how I wanted it to be. I…”

“I know you’re scared of hurting me, Jensen. But I’m not scared. Nothing you do is going to hurt me…not when everything feels so good!” Jared was losing himself to the pleasure coursing through him when he felt the touch on his cock speed up. He felt his balls tightening like they had that first night when he’d touched himself, and he was wondering what this would feel like when a nail raked over the slit in his cock at the same time he felt a slight pinch on his neck and suddenly he came with a shout of Jensen’s name.

The burning need to come combined with the feeling of experiencing Jared’s first really enjoyable climax as well as the sudden sweet taste of the tiny bit of blood he allowed himself to take pushed Jensen over into his own orgasm.

Normally Jensen kept a tight rein on his emotions during sex. He’d never before allowed himself to lose control enough that the need to bite hit him. This time, the sudden appearance of his fangs took him off guard but as he settled into a slow pattern of thrusts that allowed him to continue to please them both while also stroking Jared’s cock to help him get the most out of this moment, he felt the boy’s emotions surging, felt his pleasure, and the love he wasn’t sure how to express fully yet, and Jensen knew he’d never regret any of it.

“Jen…Jen…” Jared’s head had fallen back to Jensen’s shoulder and those little white dots had turned to full out white as he felt his brain and body melting from the force of that inner explosion; he wondered if it would always feel that intense between them.

“‘ _Always, cher,_ ’” Jensen assured him silently, adjusting his arm to pull Jared tighter to him as he felt a weakening that told him what would soon be happening. He also softened his touch when he heard a whimper that told him the touch was now slightly more painful than pleasurable to an oversensitive cock. “Love you, Jay,” he whispered, voice raw from emotions he hadn’t had to share or express in half a century.

Jared’s murmur was whisper soft but the vampire’s ears still picked up the ‘love you too, Jen’ before he saw a flash of white as Jared’s eyes rolled back from the force of what he’d just experienced. Jensen was quick to hold him tighter while working through his own orgasm with a few final thrusts.

Jensen couldn’t recall the last time he’d enjoyed sex as much as he had this night or that he’d climaxed this hard. He gently eased forward so he could lay Jared down on his side, staying where he was for several long moments until he felt himself calm down. Only then did Jensen ease out while laying soothing kisses along Jared’s jaw when he sensed him tense and murmur at the loss of him.

“Shhh, not leaving, _cher_ ,” he whispered, searching for and finding his shirt to use as a makeshift rag to clean them up enough to sleep for a while. He knew they both needed to rest before he tried to figure out how to get them down to the master bedroom where he planned to make love to this special young man again. “I just want to clean up a bit and find a blanket to help keep you warm until you’re awake enough for me to take downstairs.”

“Hmmm…you keep me warm,” Jared mumbled, half asleep as he turned to find Jensen, long arms wrapping around him as he snuggled closer without thinking. “Stay here?”

“You want to sleep up here?” Jensen asked, pulling on his jeans and managing to get Jared back into his despite discovering that a sleepy, sex-out Jared seemed to be more octopus than young man. Jensen smiled softly while lying on the chaise with him to hold him in his arms. “We can do that if you want.”

“Wanna sleep up here with you…then go make love in the bed in the morning.” Jared’s lashes fluttered before opening to peer at Jensen shyly. “Okay?”

Jensen smiled, brushing his fingers over Jared’s cheek before following with his lips. “Yes, that’s okay, Jay,” he assured him, letting Jared settle in his arms as he held him. He smiled as he felt the young man him fall back to sleep without hesitance or fear for the first time since that first night that he’d held him. “Jared?” He waited until he was certain the boy was asleep to brush the hair back so he could see the two small holes on his neck, and Jensen made a note to make sure those were gone by the morning. “Sleep and rest. Your dreams will be peaceful. You’re free of the nightmares and that life now and forever,” he whispered and let his own eyes slip closed into sleep.

The following morning Jensen kept his promise to make love to Jared in the bed in what Jensen now declared was their room, something that earned him a laughing Jared in his arms as he continued to show Jared what true love was and how different things were now.

Jensen managed to keep Jared isolated for the next several days as they enjoyed each other and Jared enjoyed learning more about making love without pain or fear.

They eventually ventured out and joined the others for dinner in a fancy restaurant in the French Quarter; it was Jared’s first real outing as Jensen’s official boyfriend, something he blushed at when the vampire first murmured it into his ear that night while helping him with his tie.

Jared still doubted if he was good enough for someone as rich and powerful as Jensen seemed to be, but no one in the vampire’s circle seemed to think he wasn’t. In fact, they all seemed to just accept him as part of their lives now.

He and Chad played video games when the blond wasn’t doing things for Jensen. Matt helped Jared with his lessons while Danneel harped at Jensen to let her take him shopping for clothes that actually fit him.

Chris was the only one that Jared was still wary around, but he told Jensen he thought that was just because he was so gruff and outspoken that it still scared him sometimes. Chris was also very outspoken about Jensen keeping in mind that he would have to turn Jared or let him go one day soon; that had upset the mortal to the point that he’d hidden on the roof with his rabbits for a whole day, avoiding everyone including Jensen.

“Why won’t you consider turning me?” Jared had asked that night as Jenson approached the chaise where he lay shivering from the rare cool night in New Orleans. “Am I not good enough to be a vampire?”

“You’d be perfect as a vampire, Jay.” Jensen placed a soft blanket over Jared before drawing him into his arms to help warm him as well as soothe him. “The reason I don’t want to turn you yet actually has nothing to do with you; it’s really about me. I want you to have a chance to live as a human, to see the world like I want to show you before we talk about you staying a certain age forever.” He kissed him slowly, relieved when Jared relaxed into his touch and returned the kiss. “Don’t be so eager to lose this life. I want to show you how to enjoy it and then in a few years, if you still feel the same for me, want to be with me then…we’ll talk again.”

“Chris says I’ll have to leave you.” Jared rolled toward him to place his ear over Jensen’s heart while his fingers moved restlessly. “I…I don’t wanna leave you, Jen. Do I have…?”

Jensen’s finger lightly touched Jared’s lips to stop the shaking words. “No, darlin’, you don’t have to leave me. I’ll handle it.” He tipped Jared’s face up and smiled. “I love you and I’m not letting you go for anyone, human or vampire.”

Handling it was what Jensen planned to do. He hadn’t opened his heart for the first time in years to just let go because he’d fallen in love with a mortal, a mortal who was still too innocent and young in Jensen’s view to turn this soon.

He planned to make a few calls to some older vampires he knew to ask their opinions. He also planned to start making preparations to leave New Orleans, to show Jared more of the world like they’d talked about. He had plans…plans that Jensen wasn’t aware were about to come crashing down.

“Where’s the kid?” Chris asked as he stood in the door to Jensen’s office looking around curiously. “Chad’s been with me all day scouring the city for signs of Morgan or his goons. It’s creeping me out that he vanished this completely. Usually when both Chad and I are gone, that means Jared’s either gonna be with you or glued to a book.”

“I had a sudden conference call come up from overseas. Jared wanted to go see if any of his personal belongings were still in that rat-trap of an apartment. I was going to take him until that phone call came up.” Jensen didn’t turn from the window where he was trying not to get worried that the car wasn’t back yet. “Mike agreed to take him since Jared thought there might be a couple photos of his Mom still there.”

“You…you let Mike take Jared?” Chris’s tone changed subtly. He heard something drop and knew Chad was about to come flying into the room in a tantrum over that. “Jensen? Call Jared…now.”

Turning at the hard tone, Jensen frowned. “Why?” He caught the visible anger on Chris’s face as well as the alarm on Chad’s when he came running into the office. “What’s going on? Why should I call Jared and why are you acting like I shouldn’t have let Mike take him?”

“I told you we should’ve told him, dude. I said last week that we should tell Jensen and deal with it,” Chad shot at Chris, obviously upset as he waved his hands at Jensen. “Dude! Call the kid! We need to get a lock on him so I can get to him and rip that bastard’s head right off his shoulders.”

“Tell me what the hell is going on…now. What should you have told me? If Jay’s in danger because…” Jensen had been reaching for his phone when it suddenly rang. He felt relieved as he saw the number. “It’s Jared,” he told them as he picked it up. “Hey, _cher_ ,” he greeted with a smile. “Did you find what you were looking for? Jared? Jay? What’s…”

The strained silence from the other end of the phone had the vampire’s nerves stretching even as Chris was telling Chad to try to lock onto the phone’s signal for tracking. “Jared, answer me. What’s wrong?”

“Oh, there’s plenty wrong, Ackles, but nothing you’ll be able to help the whore with. I just thought you’d like to hear his voice one more time because you will never see him again.”

The rough voice that spoke instead of the soft one he’d been expecting caused Jensen’s fist to clench. “Morgan,” he growled, hate and rage exploding, but then another sound was heard and for the first time since he was turned, Jensen remembered what true fear was like as he heard the broken ragged scream of his name. “Jared…”

“You shouldn’t have fucked with what was mine, freak. I hope you enjoyed him, and I hope you know that every bit of pain I put him through now will be because of you,” Jeffery Dean Morgan’s smug voice replied. “I told you that I owned him. Now thanks to your little friends, I get to remind this bitch of just what he is.”

Before Jensen could work past his shock, anger and fear he heard something else that tore his heart.

“… …Jensen! Love…you. Don’ come…ugh!!”

**TBC**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *cough* Yeah, I know. I cliffhanged it again but trust me. It's all leading back to how it started.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one comes with a violence and some graphic descriptions warning.

**Eternal Love**

**Chapter Ten**

“Where the goddamn hell is he?”

Rage. Burning white hot rage ran through Jensen Ackles from the moment the phone connection had been disconnected on a broken scream from his boyfriend and a cold, cruel sick promise from Jared’s former pimp, Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

The vampire had tossed his phone to the side and had just been about to go for the throat of Chris Kane when another sound had him whirling to see the black limo pulling into the drive. His lips curled back into a snarl that showed fangs as his vampire side was fully unleashed.

“Call Beaver! Tell him Morgan’s grabbed Jared! Tell him I will tear this city and the bayous apart to find him if he doesn’t!” he snapped even as he was bolting for the door. “Then find someone to get rid of a corpse because that’s what this bastard is about to be! Rosenbaum!”

“Okay, he’s pissed,” Chad muttered but was already moving after Jensen as Chris Kane was reaching for the phone. “Do I let him gut him or do you want that honor?” he asked over his shoulder.

“Don’t let him kill him until I find out why he did this and what else he knows!” Chris told him while making some calls, hoping they had the time.

Matt Cohen had just stepped out of the other side of the house when he caught sight of a grim faced, unhappy Michael Rosenbaum stepping from the car. “Mike!” he called, lifting his hand to wave when he caught the frown on the other vampire’s face. Then he caught a smell that had the hair on the back of his neck rising even as he heard the enraged voice shouting. “What the hell have you done?” he demanded.

“Matt, I…ugh! Jensen…!” Mike had started to say as he stepped away from the car only to be grabbed and slammed down against the hood by a furious Jensen. “Wait…please I…”

“Please? You have the goddamn guts to show your face back here after what you just did?” Jensen snarled. One hand was gripping the other vampire’s throat while his other fired rapid-fire punches despite the pleas to listen. “You’re begging me to listen to you? To stop? Did you listen to him? Huh, Mike? Did you listen to Jared or did you just turn him over to that piece of shit Morgan?” he demanded tightly, still hearing Jared’s voice in his mind, still feeling something that he wasn’t sure was good or not. “Did you look into those big eyes when he asked you what or why you betrayed him? Did you?”

Matt had been trying to break the two up as Chad was bolting from the door to help when he heard this. “Mike did what?” He stepped back to stare hard. “That’s why I smell his blood on you!” He blinked in shock at this.

“You smell…?” Jensen had been too furious to allow his other senses to react until he heard this. Now he sniffed deeply and gripped the throat he still had a hold of tighter to jerk Mike up closer to his face. “You bit him?” he growled, no trace of the charming drawl or softness left in his voice as he realized he could smell Jared on Mike. “You fed off of him?!”

“Oh shit,” Chad groaned at this realization, letting out a shout for Chris to get his ass outside. “Dude, why the hell would you do any of this?” he asked while debating if he wanted to piss Jensen off more by getting in between them.

“I…I…I didn’t want to!” Mike gasped. He flinched as Jensen was suddenly pulled back away from him to allow Chris Kane to step between them, leaving the vampire to wonder which one he’d be better off facing. “Jensen, please…listen to me.”

Chris shoved his irate friend back and grabbed Mike by the front of his shirt. “Talk!” he snarled, tone hard. There was no mistaking what he planned to do if he didn’t like what he heard. “You have five seconds to spill your guts about why you’d screw that kid over or else I spill your guts before the boss gets close to you again.”

“It was Sheppard! He…he found out about something I’d done a year or so ago. He threatened to tell Jensen if I didn’t help him bring Jensen down,” Mike gasped out, looking around at the hard faces glaring at him but it was Jensen’s face he paid closest attention to. “He’s pissed because you shut the club down and won’t let him do what he wants with it. He…he wants to hurt you so…”

“So he decides to hurt Jensen through Jared,” Chris finished grimly, shooting a dark look over his shoulder. “Go on. Tell the rest.”

Mike took a shaky breath. “At first I think he planned to use the kid himself, but that first night at the club Jensen ruined that plan when he felt his intrusion into Jared’s head. That was when he first hinted to Morgan about Jared’s night. It was him who…ugh!” He cut off when Jensen’s fingers grabbed his throat again.

“Sheppard sold him out that first time?” he demanded tightly and shoved the hand off his shoulder. “You told Sheppard Jared was here, didn’t you? That’s how Morgan knew to come to my door looking for Jay, isn’t it?”

“Y-yes!” Mike was strong but not as strong as Jensen under normal circumstances and certainly not when he was this angry. “By that point nearly everyone in the city knew you’d grown attached to the…to him.” He was quick to correct his wording but winced as his throat was gripped tighter. “Morgan’s furious. He’s obsessed with Jared. He offered anyone who would listen a chance to earn big bucks if they helped him get back what he views as…”

“How much did you get out of this deal?” Chad demanded hotly, furious that they hadn’t stopped this when the first hints of betrayal had popped up. “Jared trusted you! We told him he was safe here! We told him that no one here would hurt him and you betrayed that trust! How much did Sheppard pay you, Mike?”

“Nothing! I didn’t get any money!” Mike shouted back, drawing in a breath when he was given a chance. “Sheppard told me to get the kid, to get him away from Jensen somehow, and he’d handle the rest. When…when the damn kid wanted to confront his past, and then Jensen couldn’t go with him, I took the shot. I…”

Jensen closed his eyes to avoid seeing the fear and confusion he suspected would’ve been in Jared’s eyes when he realized something was wrong. “Did…did you hurt him?” he asked tightly, fingers curling into a fist.

“When he realized I hadn’t taken him to the apartment he got scared. He tried to fight, to get away when he saw Sheppard, and I…I…held him down while Sheppard…bit him.” Mike heard a snarl and was surprised he was still breathing by that point. “He fed from him…I…I took a little, I couldn’t resist, but then Morgan and his goons showed up and…I thought he was gonna kill the kid, Jensen! I didn’t think he planned to…”

“Asshole!” Chris snapped, fist striking hard and knocking the offending vampire to the ground. “Morgan’s obsessed with that kid! He’ll kill him for sure, but not before he makes him suffer, especially since he plans to punish him for being with Jensen! Where’d he take him?”

Mike shook his head rapidly. “I don’t know, I swear. I took off. When that tall guy that shadows Morgan started to whip Jared like a dog and I realized what was going to happen…I…”

“Took off like a goddamn coward when you could’ve stopped them?” Jensen sneered at him, hate plain on his rugged face. “You left that boy in the hands of sadistic animals knowing what they’ve already done to him. You left him to be raped, tortured and God knows what else. And then you came strolling back here like nothing was wrong? Did you think I wouldn’t find out it was you? Did you think I wouldn’t give a damn? That I would just ignore the fact that you basically sold me out? Sold out the boy who I’ve already taken as mine?” he demanded, anger showing along with his fangs.

“I thought maybe you’d see that Chris was right and that you should cut your losses and…” Mike cut off as Jensen’s eyes went to slits. “He’s a human, Jensen! Sure, he’s cute and all that but you were acting like he was going to be it. That you’d chosen him as your…”

“I had chosen him as my mate!” Jensen yelled right into his face. “I’d chosen him that first goddamn night even without realizing it! I swore to protect him, to love him, and I will find him…or die trying.”

Jensen spun away from Mike to head for the house but paused to look back. “Go make Sheppard tell you what he knows; find out where that bastard took Jared, and then make him bleed.” He eyed Mike. “This one stays alive until I get him back because how he pays will depend on how badly hurt _my_ _mate_ is.”

“Jensen! I didn’t want to do it! But if I hadn’t Sheppard would’ve told you what I did.” Jensen lifted an eyebrow, clearly inviting the captive vampire to explain. “I…I fed off a couple girls at the club…then I made them forget what had happen. You would’ve…” Mike tried to continue, moving forward but was shoved back by a pissed off Chad. “I’m still loyal to you. I…I just made a mistake.”

“You made a mistake?” Jensen looked at him, lips curving into a sarcastic smirk. “Drinking from a couple of my waitresses against their will would’ve gotten you punished. This? Betraying the boy I love? Betraying Jared to that bastard? That’ll get you exiled if you’re lucky and I’m feeling generous, but right now your life expectancy isn’t high in my city, Mike.” He shot Chris a look that showed how worried he was. “Find him, Chris.”

Chris felt the emotions in Jensen swirling and knew things were going to get worse for all of them before they got better. “Matt, lock this genius up until I decide what to do with him,” he ordered sternly, stalking toward the car. “Chad, get Danneel back here to stay with Jensen so he doesn’t go off on his own and then you pull in some people you’re sure we can trust cause we’re paying a visit to the club to have a long overdue talk with Sheppard. We need to find where Morgan’s taken Jared, and I have a feeling that we need to find out fast.”

Jensen tuned out the activity going on around him as he shut himself into the master bedroom. He picked up a shirt that was on the bottom of the bed and felt his eyes burn. “Jared,” he whispered, smelling the young man on the shirt as he sat down to run his hand over the side of the bed where just that morning he’d made love to the boy.

He tried to focus his thoughts on his boyfriend like he would when he wanted to touch Jared’s thoughts to calm him or speak to him silently but found a static wall of pain, shadows, and fear blocking him. “Jay, please try to fight them,” he murmured to the room but also sent the words out with all his strength. “I will find you. I will get you back and I will make them pay.” He fell back on the bed to wait.

“Jensen?” Chris’s voice intruded hours later. “We need to talk.”

“No, you need to tell me that Sheppard was smart and told you what he knew before you ended my problem with him.” Jensen shook his head, trying to clear it of shadows, fear, and cold while he eyed his friend. “What?” Then he frowned as he saw the sun medal hanging from his hand. “They…he took that from him?”

“He said he planned to bring it by later since he figured you wouldn’t want it lost in whatever bayou grave…Jensen!” Chris stepped back to avoid the body that nearly slammed into him. “He doesn’t know the exact directions to the place. No one does except for Morgan and his top men. That’s how he keeps the place safe from the cops but…”

Jensen jerked the medal back and closed his fist around it. He started to demand to see the little prick’s heart, which better have been ripped from his chest, when suddenly he felt a blow to his own chest like something sharp had been stabbed through his heart.

“Jay,” he whispered, feeling ice-cold fear and confusion. He realized that he was feeling Jared’s emotions in the moments before the medal was taken from him. He was trying to refocus on Chris to find out what else he knew when suddenly the door to his bedroom opened and a hard eyed Chad entered holding out a phone. “Who is it?”

“The asshole,” Chad shot back, eyeing his boss and then the phone. ‘ _Keep him on it_ ,’ he told Jensen silently before going back to where he hoped he could work a miracle that would save his young friend.

“What the hell do you want?” Jensen growled into the phone, stalking out of his room to his office and wishing he didn’t see a living Mike still there.

A low chuckle was heard which went straight through the vampire’s already strained temper. “I thought I’d call and give you a taste of what my boy is enjoying, Ackles.” Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s voice was cold, mocking. “You will never find him…at least not in time to do him any good.”

“Let him go, Morgan,” Jensen replied. He could see Chad and Matt arguing over the computer but forced himself to focus on the man on the phone. His sensitive ears could pick up sounds in the background that made his gut clench. He kept his tone reasonable even though his temper was boiling. “You’ve got so many others in your stable of hookers. You can let this one boy go. He never deserved to be dragged into that life, and you know it. Let Jared go.”

“Oh, I’ll let him go…when he’s a broken ruined mess.” Morgan stepped into another room and smiled at what he saw. “I had such plans for this whore but he cost me too much money, not to mention the damage to my reputation, when he got away from me after 12 days of my best trainers teaching him how to be the type of pet my clients wanted, that I wanted. But I still can use him as a lesson for others. I’ll make an example out of him so no other whore will ever think about running away from me.”

He stepped up close and grabbed a handful of sticky, dirty hair, yanking the boy’s head back. “I loved his innocence. You know…that’s what attracted me to him when he first stumbled across my organization. This amazing body paired with the innocent baby face…no matter what I did to him, what I let others do him, he never lost that look. I was so looking forward to breaking him into my new stable…except then you got involved.” He gave a harder yank, causing a sharp muffled cry of pain to come. “You thought you could steal my pet and keep him. You thought you could teach him to be human when he’s nothing but a goddamn animal to be used and abused as I see fit! Now I’ll teach him a lesson that he’ll never forget!”

“Morgan!” Jensen heard the cry of pain, heard the muffled sobs, and shot a hard look across the room that promised retribution later. “If it’s goddamn money you’re so interested in, I’ll give you whatever you want!” He saw Matt make a stretching motion with his hands. “Let Jared go and I’ll give you however much money you want. Just stop hurting him.”

“Hmm, you must want him back badly if you’re willing to pay for him,” Morgan sneered, nodding to the tall gaunt looking man who had a whip in one hand and what appeared to be a metal poker in the other. “You want to buy him like the whore he is, Ackles? Is that all he is to you as well? A whore, a pet to play with or…”

“No, you son of a bitch!” Jensen hated this man more than he had anyone else in his long life. “I wouldn’t be ‘buying’ Jared, just paying you a ransom for releasing him. Let him go, Morgan. Let him go or I will ruin you.”

The pimp laughed in mocking amusement. “According to your so-called friend Rosenbaum you were pretty close to making my pet a more serious part of your life. I think to hurt you for what you’ve cost me, I’ll just keep my pet here until I get bored…then I’ll toss his useless carcass into the bayou. You can spend your immortal life wondering if he begged for you…wondering how long he lived like this or…hell, I’m a generous guy…maybe I’ll let you talk to him one last time just to be nice.”

He gave a hard slap to a pale face while jerking the heavy ballgag out of his helpless captive’s mouth. “Speak, boy!” he ordered sharply. “Tell Ackles how much you’re enjoying your time in our care.”

Jared Padalecki drew in a ragged breath and tried to work some moisture back into his dry mouth. His body was in agony from the abuse already inflicted. One eye was swollen shut, but through his other eye he saw a hand holding the phone out. He was too scared to try to speak, fearing this was some sort of cruel trick, until he heard the voice coming from the other end.

“Jared?”

Jensen’s voice shot right through his defenses and Jared fought back a sob of pain and fear. When he’d realized what was happening earlier, when he saw that Mike hadn’t taken him to the apartment but some warehouse where a gloating Mark Sheppard waited with Morgan and his men, he feared that he’d never see or hear Jensen again.

Now as he hung from chains in a room in Morgan’s bayou plantation, the secret house that he kept for his parties, Jared knew he would die from the man’s sick games. He wished his death would be quick, but knew it wouldn’t be.

Hearing Jensen on the phone made him struggle back to alertness, but it was difficult given that he’d been drugged and ached to slip into his mind, away from the pain. He wished he could feel Jensen in his thoughts, but the voodoo guy had only been too happy to gleefully keep that from happening.

“J…Jensen?” He refused to use the nickname in this place; he refused to let these men hear something that was only between them. “B-bye?” Jared knew that’s what this was because no one could find him now, and despite his fear and pain, he was grateful that he at least got the chance to say good-by to Jensen.

“No, this is not goodbye, Jared. I will get you back.” Jensen could hear the pain, the fear, and he wished he could touch the boy. He closed his eyes to once again try to push the link but still felt that wall of cold static. “You hang on for me okay? You remember what I’ve told you. You are not what he says, and I _will_ find you, _cher,”_ he promised, adding one more thing quickly before Morgan could take the phone back. “I love you.”

Jared felt a tear slip down his cheek. “L-love…argh!” He screamed when something jabbed into his kidney with a searing pain and the ball was shoved back into his mouth with violent force.

“Sweet…oh my God, that’s just so sweet,” Morgan sneered, waving commands to his chief man to begin torturing the boy again, as he returned to the phone. “Making promises you know you can’t keep to a something so not worth your trouble, Ackles. I’ll make sure he knows how much your love is worth when my friends fuck him like the bitch he is and when I dump his body in the bayou.”

“Morgan!” Jensen snapped, the rage clear in his voice and in his body as his hand cracked the edge of his desk where he’d been gripping it. “When I find him…and I will find him…I swear that I will make you feel pain and you will beg for mercy just like you enjoy making him beg.”

The phone clicked off and only a warning hand on his shoulder kept Jensen from hurling the one in his hand or going straight for Mike’s throat.

“Boss?” Chad looked up from the computer as something printed out from the nearby printer. “We locked on to a general location. We can find him from this.”

“Tell Beaver so he can do the legal thing…after I get Jared out,” Jensen ordered, snarl forming when Mike Rosenbaum stepped in front of him. “You are living because I want you to pay for betraying him. Piss me off again and that will change.”

“Jensen, it’s a trap,” Mike argued, looking for Chris for support but only seeing distrust and anger. “Morgan let you trace the GPS in the phone! He wants to lure you in for…”

Jensen’s fangs showed as he smiled thinly. “Let him have an army of humans at that place of horror, let him try to take me out; I will destroy them as easily as I will you if they stand between me and what is mine.” He shoved the vampire aside to throw a hard look around him. “If any of you agree with this piece of shit, if any of you disagree with my choice to love Jared, if you don’t think he’s worth the risk of saving him now, then do me, and yourselves, a huge favor…be gone from my city by the time I return with him.”

At that the vampire left the room. He changed quickly, slipping the sun medal over his head so he’d have them both, and shoved a few items into a bag. He eyed the map and directions to see that the targeted location was deep in the bayou, hours away even with a vampire’s speed.

Jared had been gone from him for hours already, and he prayed this added delay wouldn’t cost him the innocent boy’s life.

Jensen was absolutely aware that the risk of going there was huge. He knew that Jeffrey Dean Morgan had probably allowed him to trace the call and was probably planning a trap, but Jensen also knew those concerns didn’t matter to him. If he died then he died, but at least he would die trying to save someone he loved, someone he’d sworn to protect, someone he’d already failed in so many ways.

Chris spoke from the door where he was adjusting a shoulder holster in case he actually needed the gun he always carried. “Okay, so Beaver says he can hold the state cops back for about an hour to give us time to get in and out. He just asks that if you plan to massacre anyone, don’t leave any evidence to lead them back to us. Chad’s itching to go, so you coming or what?” he asked with a raised brow, smiling slightly. “You’re not alone, Jensen. We will get Jared back and we will make all of them pay for hurting him.”

“Thank you.” Jensen wasn’t sure if his people would want in on this, and he did notice that some faces were missing, but he would deal with that later, once he had Jared back safely. “Hang on, Jay,” he murmured to himself. “Please hang on. I’m coming for you.”

** In the bayou: **

Time had stopped meaning anything to Jared. He knew he was going to die; he was almost okay with that; he only wished that he wasn’t doing to die here, with people looking to hurt him or humiliate him.

“Wake up!” the nasally sounding voice snapped as a hand slapped across his face and drew the injured young man back to semi-consciousness. “You weren’t given permission to sleep or pass out, boy! That’ll be another 20 lashes or an hour with one of the mutts…or maybe with one of us if the boss wants.”

Jared shuddered as that voice penetrated his foggy mind. Of all of the voices he’d ever heard, he hated hearing Christopher Heyerdahl’s most of all because he was the cruelest of Morgan’s men, perhaps even crueler than Morgan himself.

Hours of brutal abuse, pain, torture, and forced sex had left the young man battered, bruised, and bleeding. He longed for the bliss of unconsciousness, but even though they had drugged him with something that made his mind fuzzy, the damn old voodoo man had also blown something in his face that prevented Jared from finding that bliss.

“Please…” The gag had been removed earlier because Morgan had wanted to hear him scream after they cut him down and strapped him onto the fucking machine that had been brought into the room in the basement. “Kill…me…”

“Oh, no, that won’t be happening yet, pup,” the head of Morgan’s security and chief trainer sneered, fingers running back through filthy hair to yank it hard. “We have too many plans and scenes to play out with you. You thought what I did to you before was intense? This time, since you’ve _really_ pissed Mr. Morgan off, he’s letting me pull out all the stops.”

Jared had run out of tears hours ago. He could feel his breathing getting labored and could taste blood every time he coughed. He had a tiny thought that at least he had some blood left after Sheppard had bitten him and drank from his throat. That had terrified Jared; he hadn’t been scared of vampires until that moment when he felt those fangs sink in.

He could drift, but he never fully lost consciousness. He could feel the pain left by the hands that cut, punched, beat, or burned him. He could feel the bodies that rutted against him as he was repeatedly raped by cruel men who enjoyed their jobs just a little bit too much.

“Mr. Morgan’s down at the kennel picking out a playmate for you,” the gaunt nasally Heyerdahl sneered, grabbing the boy’s throat and shoving him down on the filthy mattress on the floor. Heavy short chains were hooked around his wrists to keep him secured to the wall. “You feel those drugs, pup? Shot you up enough that you should be flying high if not for the spells that keep your mind locked up tight. We want you to be able to enjoy all this nice fun and know you should’ve minded your manners and not tried to run away from the boss.”

“Not…not…a…animal, a slave…” Jared thought he said these words out loud, but his hearing was muffled by the roaring white noise in his own head, the sound of his heart pounding from drugs and terror, terror that grew at the distant sound of a bark and claws on concrete. “No!” He tried to yank his hands free but couldn’t find any give in the chain and he dimly was aware of his legs being chained down to steel hooks in the floor. “Please…don’t let mmhmm!”

The bit gag was shoved back in between his teeth and strapped tightly around his head so he couldn’t spit it out or dislodge it. Then the man checked the spiked cock ring they’d put on him earlier so rough hands could tease his cock and balls.

“Now the gloves come off, pretty boy.” Jeffery Dean Morgan’s voice spoke from the door. “Everything up until now will seem like mercy and you will wish for death.” He handed off the leash of the large Mastiff to one of the men with him while reaching for his belt. “I would’ve treated you decently if you hadn’t screwed me over for that freak Ackles’. Now? Now me and the boys will use you for what I always planned for you to be, a bitch, and when they’re done with you…my big boy here will have a go but first…” He held up the thick leather collar he removed from the dog. “You need another taste of remembering what you are.”

Jared felt the collar go on and immediately went rigid. He struggled to fight, to free himself from what he knew would come, but he was unable to move due to the drugs and chains. He felt rough hands on him, felt Morgan’s cock shove into him without care of the damage that had already been done, and Jared thought he screamed behind the bit but he was losing himself to the drugs and images in his head.

“I’ve got things to take care of in the city so…after the boys have a go with him, make sure he’s chained up good and proper. Leave the mutt in here with him and leave a couple guards at the door. I’ll be back to finish it.” The pimp was barking out orders even as his hips were thrusting hard, fingers twining in long hair so he could yank back Jared’s head. “Mine, boy,” he growled lowly. “Even when you’re dead, you’ll find no peace. Ackles’ won’t want you, he never wanted you as anything more than his own personal toy.”

Jared’s heart sank a little at that. He tried not to believe the man’s cruel words, but as he felt a prick in his arm and the burn in his veins again, what little strength he had was slipping away. ‘ _Jen_ ,’ he thought numbly, straining to ignore the feel of more hands on him and the sounds of the big dog fighting on its chain as if to get to him.

He was unable to slip away into his memories or away from the pain he was in, but still Jared tried to think of anything else to allow him to ignore what was happening to him. He thought briefly of soft fur, brilliant green eyes, and the safety of the wolf.

The witch doctor’s magic prevented him from reaching out to Jensen or even of thinking of him in order to escape the fear and pain, but it didn’t seem to work against the wolf form, so Jared grasped onto that image and clung to it with what strength he had left.

It might seem odd for him to feel safe with an image of a wolf after he’d been used as a toy for Morgan’s huge dogs before and would be again, but even as Jared felt an odd feeling come over him, felt his thoughts drifting as he tried to reach for the memory of Jensen shifting to wolf form, he almost felt the safety he had in his mind that time.

‘ _Jen…love you_ …’ The thoughts were weak, tired and shaky, and they were lost when a burst of pain like fire made him scream past the bit gag. He was yanked back to feel a fist repeatedly slamming into the side of his face until Jared felt something break.

“Bastard! You won’t slip away from me that easily!” Morgan screamed at him, furious that even now this damn boy was disobeying him. “You are mine! I said I owned you and I do! I will until I gut you and leave you for the damn gators to eat! You…what the fuck is that?” he demanded when even in the well-soundproofed basement, they all heard what sounded like a howl of a wild animal. “Go shoot the goddamn animal that’s making that noise!”

Heyerdahl frowned as the sound came again, an eerie howl that seemed more intense, more enraged than a howl from any of the dogs on the plantation. “That’s not a dog.” He looked down to see blood dripping from Jared’s nose, the corner of his one eye, and knew what it was. “That was a wolf.”

Jared heard the howl and even as Morgan’s enraged voice took over his ears and a vicious fist rained down on him, the battered young man knew in his heart what the howl was. ‘ _Jensen_.’

‘ _I’m coming, Jay_ ,’ Jensen thought back. He hoped the weakened thoughts he’d been shocked to feel actually pulling him into a shift would hear his reply. At the moment, he stood rigid in the middle of a road after his wolf form had literally jumped from the SUV’s passenger window when he’d shifted.

Jensen had been trying to stay calm as Chad drove as fast as the SUV would go, but the terrain here was too soft to go off road and the general location from the GPS wasn’t precise enough to go on foot. He’d been ignoring Matt in the backseat with Chris telling the hyper driver of a short cut when he’d felt the weak voice in his head.

An image of the time he’d shifted in Jared’s mind hit him hard and Jensen realized why a second before the need to shift came over him and he had.

“Dude! How about the next time you decide to wolf out and leap from a moving vehicle, you give the driver a heads up!” Chad yelled after he’d nearly wrecked from the shock of seeing Jensen transform from fuming vampire to a huge fuming wolf. Then he was trying not to wreck when said wolf leaped out the open window and stood in the middle of the road as if listening to something only he could hear. “Jensen! Hey, are you…okay, backing off now.” He pulled back when the wolf turned to snarl at him.

Chris stepped closer but made no move to touch Jensen. He looked at him to see that his focus wasn’t on them, but on something they couldn’t see. “You hear him.” He figured that had to be it even before the silver wolf pawed at the ground before turning to stare off into the distance. “Jensen? Jensen, don’t go doing anything…Jensen!” he yelled a second before the wolf bolted off through the thick woods. “Fuck!”

“This is bad,” Matt Cohen called from the SUV, seeing that Jensen was already out of their line of sight. “We need to catch up to him. If this is a trap, he won’t be thinking about it and will leave himself wide open. And if it’s not a trap…”

“He’ll rip those sorry sons of bitches apart and then he might not be able to regain control when he finds the kid,” Chris finished as their other vehicle pulled up. “Leave the damn cars. We’ll be able to follow him in. I want this place sealed off and those bastards feeding the gators before the cops show up but above all else…Jeffrey Dean Morgan gets taken alive.”

Even able to follow the weak thoughts, the faint scent of humans in the area, it took Jensen’s wolf form longer than he liked to make it through the tricky woods and come to the edge where he could see the large Antebellum like mansion sitting back from the road like something out of an old movie.

In this form his senses were even further heightened, so Jensen could pick up the humans, far fewer than he expected. The humans didn’t worry him too much, but the sounds of the Mastiffs milling around in the kennel built onto the barn that had his fur standing up on end. And then his ears were laying back and his eyes were narrowing at a sound only he heard, at emotions that only he felt, and he took off with a snarl.

A few startled shouts from the men in the yard were heard and a few bullets were fired, but none came close to him, and Jensen made short work of those foolish enough to take a second shot rather than run.

He heard a shout from Chris telling him to go, that they had the humans, but the heavy front doors were already busting open under the weight and strength of his wolf form. Those humans didn’t matter to him. It was the one he could feel getting weaker who was somewhere in this house that mattered to Jensen.

The weak images from earlier told the vampire where to go. He tasted blood from one guard too stupid to run, but even that didn’t slow him down as he ignored the sounds coming from outside and focused on locating the basement door. He broke the door down and took the steps in a blur of silver.

The smells from the basement took his wolf senses off guard and Jensen’s growl was low, disgusted and sick, but before he could let the odors overwhelm him, he jerked his head at a sound from a small room in the back of the dungeon like space.

Jensen knew this had been where a part of Jared’s earlier torment had happened and he wanted to rip the whole house apart and burn it to the ground to try to exorcise the evil that would always be a part of this land, but right then he had something else to worry about.

‘ _Jared!_ ’ he thought loud enough, hoping to be heard, but he felt something cold grab his heart when he didn’t hear even a weak response.

Sniffing the air, searching for a scent, Jensen picked up Jared, but he could immediately tell that something was wrong. He saw the door to a small room standing half open and despite the urge to rush in, Jensen approached slowly, growling lowly at what he saw, heard, and smelled.

Jared’s scent was muffled by the scent of too many others on the young man’s battered body. The small room was also filled with the smell of blood, burned flesh, urine, and feces but as sharp eyes took in the suddenly small looking body chained and unmoving on the filthy mattress on the floor, he also took in something else that froze him.

“Mr. Morgan left out the back way. He had more pressing matters to attend to than a dying whore and a freak who thinks he’s more powerful than a man of Mr. Morgan’s wealth and power.” The tall ageless looking black man stood near the mattress with an engraved staff in one hand and the leash to a snarling, snapping, Mastiff in the other. “You thought your little healer could keep me from claiming this boy for Mr. Morgan, vampire? You thought a little blood and a useless medal would protect him? Or that coming here in that form would save him when he’s already long past saving? Bah! Now you can die with him.”

The Voodoo bokor dropped the leash and freed the huge animal. “Kill the wolf then claim the boy,” he ordered, moving his staff while chanting softly and even as Jensen’s eyes went to the Mastiff, he was distracted by a muffled ragged scream of pain as Jared’s body convulsed despite the too short chains holding him down.

The snarl of the obviously trained to kill dog had him looking back just in time to see it crouch and then lunge…right for him while the last of Jared’s strength was waning in the face of whatever spell the old man had used.

Shifting now would get him killed since immediately after a shift, it took Jensen several moments to recover. So he resorted to another method of dealing with the Mastiff. ‘ _Mine_!’ He shot the word out mentally, staking a claim that no one, human, vampire, wolf, or canine could deny, and immediately the huge dog stopped mid-lunge to stare at him. ‘ _The boy is mine. My scent was on him; my mark is on his neck. Morgan has no claim on him now and neither will you. Fight me and you will die. Leave him and I’ll spare you and your pack. Choose_.’

The huge Mastiff sniffed, glaring at the larger silver wolf before seeming to nod as if in understanding. It shot a bark over at the now shouting man as if asking what would happen to him.

“Oh, he’ll be dealt with.” Jensen spoke normally as he shifted back to his full 6’1” height to meet the furious glare of the _bokor_ with a slow smirk. “Wolves outrank dogs in the canine world, old man. Even the dumbest dog knows not to fuck with a pissed off wolf. Shame that you managed to piss off both wolf and vampire…and I doubt that you’re smart enough to know when to quit.” He grabbed the staff as it lashed out to hit him.

“Your strength and speed won’t save you from my power, vampire!” the old bayou witch doctor yelled, furious at this upstart’s gall to challenge him. “You’re nothing but…”

The staff that was a huge part of his magic broke in Jensen’s hands, the two halves tossed to the floor. “My mother was a white witch from the bayou just north of here,” he began in a low deep voice, no fear of this man or his threats showing as he stepped over the broken staff. “I was raised on her magic, the magic of the bayou since before I could walk. I’ve been a vampire since I was 28 years old and I’m going on 200 so I’ve seen dark magic like yours before. Seen it and felt it. You don’t scare me, old man, and I told you once…you will not claim Jared!”

Before the old _bokor_ could react, he was grabbed and yanked away from boy he’d enjoyed hurting so much. “Your magic, your dark arts or dark gods won’t save you…not from me.” Jensen didn’t think twice in what he did next, he just acted.

He hadn’t killed in anger in years, but as he felt his fangs come out to kill, he refused to take the blood of someone this dark and simply broke the man’s neck, letting him drop, and then Jensen was on his knees beside Jared in the next breath.

“Jared?” He broke the chain holding the boy’s wrists to the wall and then those on his legs before carefully, gently gathering Jared into his arms while silently ordering someone to bring him a clean blanket or something warm. “Jay? _Cher_ , can you hear me? It’s Jensen. I’m here, love. I’m taking you home.”

Jensen drew the battered, filthy body tighter to him; his senses were screaming at the smell of blood and other fluids on Jared but the vampire worked to ignore that as a step sounded and Chris stood there with a blanket and a grim look of his face.

“I’m taking him home,” was all Jensen said as he silently prayed they hadn’t arrived too late. “Have Stella waiting for us. He’ll need her.” He moved like he was holding fragile glass when he stood easily with Jared cradled to his chest. “And Chris?” He paused a breath, hearing and sensing the wounds that couldn’t be seen but that told him what he refused to accept right then. “When we get back to the city? Turn the others loose but I want you to find Jeffrey Dean Morgan and that bastard ghoul who works for him. I want them found. I want them killed and if Rosenbaum wants to live, he’d best be out of my home, out of my city before I get there because if Jared dies, Mike won’t be far behind him.”

The trip back to New Orleans seemed to take forever but Jensen wouldn’t risk further harm to the still unconscious young man in his arms by using his power to get them home, so he sat with Jared, speaking softly out loud and silently, fingers shaking as they stroked through limp, dirty, sticky hair.

Jensen felt little sparks within Jared but knew he was too drugged, too hurt, to respond to him right then so he merely talked so if the boy could hear, then he’d know he was safe with him again and that he wouldn’t let him go ever.

When they arrived at his house, he ignored the doubts or worries he could sense from those around him, letting Stella take command of the situation the moment he came through the door with Jared.

“Out!” she’d snapped in a tone that brooked no argument despite Jensen’s best efforts to protest. “No. Your temper won’t help him right now. You go handle other matters. I’ll call for you as soon as I’m done cleaning him and doing what I can for this poor sweet boy. Go sulk or snarl at those who need it, but you will not bring that negativity into this room.”

Jensen hadn’t wanted to leave Jared. He wanted to curl up with him on the bed but knew Stella was right. He did have things to handle, people to see and lessons to teach but in the end, he’d ended up on the rooftop of his home until Chris had told him that Stella was done.

That was how Jared found himself in the situation he was in now…

** Present Time: **

“…Jen?” Jared Padalecki knew he was dying. He’d known that from the moment he’d been kidnapped this last time that he wasn’t going to survive. “’m scared.”

“I know you are, _cher_ , I know you are.” Jensen was fighting to maintain the calmness he wanted to portray, but the closer it came to facing this moment, the harder it was becoming. “Hey, before I forget, this belongs to you.” He slipped the sun medal out from around his neck and carefully placed it back around Jared’s, then placed the dying young man’s hand over it. “Feel it, Jay?”

Jared felt the warmth of the medal even though he barely had any feeling left. He was so weak now. Losing blood from the injuries inflicted had been bad enough, but he’d already been short on blood from being attacked by Mark Sheppard when he was first grabbed. “Yours,” he tried to argue, knowing the medal belonged to Jensen but feeling braver with it back on.

“Yours, my sweet Jared,” Jensen corrected softly, blinking his eyes to keep the damn burning tears from falling. “It will always be yours. As my heart will be.” He smoothed his fingers down Jared’s arm while vowing to respect Jared’s choice. “Close your eyes now and try to rest, Jay. I swear the pain will stop soon.”

“Will you…find him?” Jared’s voice was getting softer, more strained, but he fought against closing the one eye he could see out of because that would mean he’d see his nightmares again and those scared him. “Mo…Morgan? Will you…”

“He will be found and I’ll make certain that he never hurts anyone like this again,” Jensen promised thickly. He would see the pimp found and he would see him dead. He also had plans to see the other people who’d betrayed this innocent young man pay as well. “Sheppard’s already dead and I’ll make sure Mike pays as well for setting you up for them. I…I didn’t know, Jared. I believed you could trust Mike,” he whispered, lips pressing gently against Jared’s temple and hearing the wet rattle getting worse. “Jay…”

Jared bit his lip. He could feel death coming closer and he thought he could see an odd light in the distance of his blurry vision. “Whoa,” he whispered, sounding amazed. “I…I think I see Momma, Jen,” he told the vampire. “Momma wants me to go.”

“I…I know she does, darlin’.” Jensen fought the urge to refuse to allow this to happen and take action; he held himself still, only tightening his arms slightly. “I…love you, Jared. You…you can go with your Momma if want to now,” he told the dying boy with a calmness than he didn’t actually feel. “Just let go of me and reach for what you see, _cher_. I promise to never forget you.”

Jared cocked his head a little as if looking at something across the room, bottom lip trembling as a tear fell from his open but blurry eye. “Jensen?” He tried to move, to look back, but gasped as his body seared in pain. “Can you do two things for me before I…go?”

“Ask and I will give you whatever you ask, Jared,” Jensen agreed, frowning as he watched Jared’s lips move, but the boy was too weak to speak again. He reached out and felt his thoughts softly in his mind, eyes closing tightly as tears finally began to fall as he nodded. “Yes. Yes, my sweet boy. I can do both of those things for you now. Sleep now, Jared. Sleep and let the pain leave you. Let the fear of your past leave you and know that I will always love you,” he whispered. He could feel the pain wash over the boy, causing Jared to drift under for the last time, and he laid him down gently and stared at the pale boyish face covered in deep bruises. “Past, present, and future…I will love you, Jared.” He stared at his own wrist and made a choice.

Outside in the living room, several vampires paced the floor while one continued to glare across the room at Michael Rosenbaum.

“Let me kill him,” Chad Michael Murray muttered. “He started this, Chris!”

“Yep, and more than likely if he doesn’t get his ass out of Jensen’s sight soon, you’ll get a shot but not until the boss…oh crap,” Chris Kane had been speaking when they all went still at the chilling sound of a mournful howl from the bedroom. No one had any about the cause of the sound. “Mike?” The gruff speaking vampire looked across at the now white-faced vampire. “I’m giving you two minutes before I let Chad loose and that’s better than if Jensen comes after you.”

As Danneel hurried from the room and something broke in Chad’s outrage, Chris and Stella went to knock on the bedroom door before entering. They found wet green eyes staring at them from the broken face of the silver wolf that lay beside the still body on the bed, its head on an unmoving chest as if still protecting the boy.

“Oh, Jensen,” Stella whispered, starting forward only to stop with a twitch of an ear and a hand on her arm. “Christian?”

Chris’s sharp eyes caught what the older woman’s hadn’t and he met Jensen’s gaze fully. “Was it his choice?” he asked, nodding as he felt the response. “I know it won’t help but…you made the right choice. We’ll leave you alone with him.”

Stella looked at him sharply before frowning as she took in the way Jensen’s head moved to gently nuzzle Jared’s cheek with a soft woof as if encouraging the boy to wake up, as if he was only sleeping. She ached for his loss and was considering what to do when she gasped.

“Leave them be, Stella,” Chris murmured from the door, looking over to see a slight twitch of fingers as they weakly began to flex through soft silver fur as a new life began. “Jensen has him. They’ll be fine…I hope.”

**TBC**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No one panic. One more chapter to tie it all up and make a happy ending.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this is it. The final chapter. Yes, it does have some explicit content.

**Eternal Love**

**Chapter Eleven**

‘ _Jared_?’

His fingers grasped soft fur. A cold wet nose nudged his cheek. Soft puffs of warm air blew over his neck and shoulders. A soft whining sound drifted to his ears. Awareness returned slowly to Jared Padalecki as one by one his senses gradually came back online.

Fear was the first emotion to return as he recalled his last memories. He remembered the pain and the severity of his wounds; he recalled his death, how close to actual death he had come before making a choice, one that he knew hadn’t been easy for the vampire he’d fallen in love with months earlier.

‘ _Jared_?’

The voice was wary, soft, with only a little of Jensen’s usual low drawl as his concern over this act manifested. Jared willed his fingers to flex more and felt fur, relaxing slightly as he realized why. He’d asked Jensen for two things before he lost consciousness: he’d asked him to please turn him and he’d asked him to shift to wolf form so he could feel Jensen fully, unsure of what would happen next.

‘ _J-Jen_?’ He became more aware of his surroundings; his hearing seemed louder, his head ached, and Jensen’s voice inside it made it throb, but the feel of a nose nuzzling him seemed to ease the pain and helped him focus. ‘ _Where…What…_ ’

‘ _Open your eyes, Jay,_ ’ Jensen urged, using a small portion of his power to try and help reduce the more severe effects that he thought Jared might be experiencing. ‘ _Open your eyes and look at me_.’

Jared was scared to do that. He remembered not being able to see before. He remembered the pain in his head, behind his eyes, but with the gentle coaxing voice in his head along with the little light nuzzles that made his lips curve, he took a chance and let his lashes open enough to peek under them. He gasped, his breath catching.

‘ _Things will seem brighter, more intense to you for a little while but just trust me. I will talk you through it,_ ’ Jensen reassured him, staying in this form rather than shifting back as he saw Jared’s eyes open slowly.

At first there was blurriness that had Jared concerned but after blinking several times and rubbing his fingers over his eyes, he was able to see deep green eyes staring at him from a furry face. “Jensen,” he whispered, throat feeling raw and his voice was ragged and weak. “Jen…I…you…I can see you. I feel you…I…I’m not dead? Or…I guess I am dead? But not really dead…Am I undead…or…hey!”

He broke off with a laugh when a tongue licked over his face with a soft woof that almost sounded like a laugh. He let his arms wrap around the furry body to hug it while burying his face in its neck as a sudden burst of tears broke free as it dawned on Jared that he wasn’t dead and that slowly the pain was fading away.

In this form Jensen couldn’t do much to soothe or reassure the boy except to speak gentle words of comfort over the link that he could once again feel fully and give little touches with his nose or tongue as he let Jared cling to him while the rush of emotions worked out. He knew more would come over the next days but would be better able to handle those.

“Jensen?” Finally Jared’s tired voice, which was already getting stronger, piped back up. “I…I love your wolf form and it still makes me feel safe and all but…dude, the wolf kisses? Not so much. Can you shift back cause I really, really want to feel you hold me and kiss me and…mmhm.”

There was a slight electric buzz before strong arms pulled him up into a hard hug while hot lips caught his, cutting the words off as Jared found himself returning both the hug and the kiss fully.

Jared was dizzy but figured that was one of the after effects of whatever had just happened to him. He had plenty of questions but was too interested in feeling Jensen again and knowing he wasn’t dead…or…

“God, I love that even now you can think of questions to ask me later,” Jensen laughed in between kisses that he slowly softened from hot and hard to slow and gentle, lips and tongue teasing lightly over Jared’s. “I need to kiss you more so you can’t think too much.”

Jared was surprised that he could still blush as he moaned softly into the kisses. He lost himself in the building passion until there was sudden sharp twinge of pain that took him off guard. “Jensen?” he gasped, scared that something was wrong. “What’s happening?”

“Shhh, there may still be some pain while your body adjusts to the change from mortal to vampire, _cher_.” Jensen had hoped to be able to smooth over the worst of that through their link. He felt the fear in Jared, his confusion, as he laid him back against the pillows and lay beside him to gently run a hand over his chest to see that slowly the wounds were healing. “I’ll buffer the pain as much as I can…and I promise it won’t be as bad as you’re probably building in your brain.”

Swallowing through the brief amount of pain he felt, Jared frowned at that. “Is…is this the part where I throw up everything still human inside of me? Do I have to go hunt someone to drink from and…you’re laughing at me again, Jen!” He knew that even before he looked to see the amused smile on the ruggedly handsome face. “Isn’t there a vampire handbook or something?” he asked, groaning as he was kissed again and realized his usual senses weren’t the only ones that seemed heightened by this change in him.

“No handbook, _cher_ , but Matt will love explaining it all to you.” Jensen loved this boy and his innocent thoughts so much that he didn’t bother to be annoyed at how the modern world viewed his kind. “No, you will not throw up the ‘rest of your humanity’ so to speak and no, you do not have to go hunt someone on the street to drink from but…” This time the vampire did pause to consider his next comment. “You do need to drink more blood to help complete the change, and after this you can drink from the supply I keep here, but for this first time…”

Jared frowned more as began to feel a burning need for something filling him and he suddenly knew his body was craving blood. “Jen?” he whispered tightly, worried and fearful as he began to understand he knew nothing about feeding or being a vampire. He was scared that he’d do something wrong and disappoint Jensen. “I…I don’t know how to…or…I don’t want to mess up or disappoint you if I don’t catch on fast. You know I’m…”

“Do not say stupid because you are not stupid.” Jensen was quick to cut that thought off, kissing the little furrows along Jared’s brow until they smoothed away. “Every new vampire gets scared the first few days or even the first few months because everything is so new. It’s why I wanted to ease you into my life, to show you that while not everything is like you’ve seen or read about, there are differences to how mortals live but…” He gently laid his palm on Jared’s cheek as lashes began to lower. “…I don’t regret my choice to bring you over and I will help you…starting with this.”

Jensen offered a soft smile, seeing the confusion shining back at him along with a natural fear. He recalled feeling this same way when he was turned and not having anyone with him to show him properly until Chris had saved him.

“It will take you time to learn to control your emotions. The fangs come out with extreme emotion or hunger, but I’ll show you how to control that. For now though, I want you to just relax and let them come out.” He sat against the headboard and motioned Jared to move so he could lean back against his chest, slipping one arm around to hold him.

Jared was tense as he leaned back against the solid weight that supported him. He tried not to imagine the pain that would come as sharp fangs broke through his gums and gasped in surprise when he felt them slide out painlessly. His curious tongue flicked up to touch one, feeling how sharp it felt. “Wow.”

“Chad is going to roll on the floor laughing when he finds out all of your new questions and thoughts.” Jensen kissed his temple, sensing the amazement but also the hunger and he turned his other arm up to present his wrist. “If you ever need to drink from anyone, it will be from me,” he murmured, using their link to tell the nervous new vampire what to do as he felt shaking fingers close over his arm to bring his wrist up to his mouth.

“Will…will this hurt you?” Jared asked, more than amazed that he could sense where to bite but still hating the thought of causing anyone, especially Jensen, pain.

“No, it won’t hurt me,” Jensen reassured him, nodding as he watched Jared look for a moment before finally allowing his new fangs to sink into Jensen’s wrist to begin to take the blood he needed to complete the change. “Good, that’s good, Jay,” he murmured softly, impressed that Jared’s first feeding was almost shy in comparison to others who were much more violent.

At the first taste of blood on his tongue, Jared briefly thought he should be freaking out but yet it felt natural to him. He heard Jensen’s voice in his ear and in his mind offering gentle coaxing words to help him, to teach him what to do, and Jared followed each suggestion, feeling the hunger pains slowly fading; he relaxed back into Jensen more until Jared sensed he’d had enough and stopped without being told.

Jensen was gauging things as he knew each new fledging was different in their needs, so he was startled when he felt Jared let go of his wrist and shifted so he could turn more into him like he would when sleepy. “You never stop amazing me, darlin’,” he whispered and kissed Jared when he tipped his face up to welcome the kiss. “Feel better?”

“Hmm, yeah.” Jared did but he knew it would probably be hard to adjust. “Can I sleep now or is there a protocol I need to follow? Do I need to climb into a coffin or something?” he asked, eyes heavy. He was more than a little curious about other things but would follow Jensen’s lead. “Will the others accept this or…”

“They will.” Jensen knew that some of his people actually might not, but then he’d deal with that as it came. There was usually a protocol to follow when creating a new vampire, but he wasn’t ready to share Jared just yet so he chose to ignore that in favor of moving them until he was lying down with Jared in his arms. “And you can sleep wherever you want. In fact, you need to sleep right now so you can finish healing. We’ll see how you feel when you wake up.”

Jared nodded; he thought he was too tired to ask any more questions, but one refused to be ignored. “Jen? We can still make love, right?”

“Oh yeah, we can definitely make love.” Jensen chuckled at the relieved sigh he heard. “I’m pretty sure that we won’t get out of this room without making love, Jay. In fact…it might be protocol for me to make love with you before having to deal with the others or let them know what’s going on or…now who’s laughing, Jared?” He felt the smile against his throat, fingers running through Jared’s hair to still feel the spots of blood but deciding against mentioning that yet.

“I can wake up enough to make out, Jen.” Jared’s yawn countered that and he frowned like an unhappy child who couldn’t do something new on his own. “Umm, when I wake up?”

“When you wake up,” Jensen agreed with a slow kiss, feeling Jared’s body giving in to the exhaustion that even a vampire could feel. “Love you, Jay.”

Sleepy eyes struggled to open to look at him, the hazel seeming to glitter more with blues and gold as Jared smiled. “Love you, Jen.” He slid his hand up to lie over Jensen’s heart as sleep came fully and peacefully.

Jensen kept still, watching Jared sleep. He looked for signs of unease or possible distress but only saw calm and ease on the boyish face that would always look 22.

“Keep the others out.” He spoke this softly as he sensed Chris behind the closed door, but he knew his words would be heard by the other vampire. “Tell them that Jared’s adjusting better than I expected and I’ll bring him out when I’m sure he’s ready to cope.”

“You mean after you’re done being paranoid and selfish,” Chris replied but didn’t touch the door; he could feel his friend as well as the fledging vampire and knew that Jensen was in control. “He’ll need to learn to cope around others. You can’t coddle him this time.”

“I know.” Jensen did know that he couldn’t keep Jared sheltered forever. It would just be a matter of convincing himself of that. After a few more moments, he decided to smirk and add, “Oh, you might want to give Matt a heads up that Jared has questions and a few…opinions of what being turned should be like.”

There was a soft groan that was more like an oath asking for strength and patience before a grumbled reply was heard. “Yeah, I’ll warn him so he doesn’t bang his head in or Chad won’t choke laughing.”

Jared’s ability to cope with the changes in his body and in his life actually went better than Jensen or any of the other vampires expected. In fact, with the exception of learning to control his fangs and adjusting to a newborn vampire’s need for more blood than Jensen needed to drink, Jared was basically still Jared.

He retained his innocence even as a vampire as Jensen learned the next morning when he woke up and nearly panicked at not finding Jared in bed with him. He’d torn out of the bedroom demanding answers of the first person he laid eyes on only to have a grinning Chad point up to the roof. He said that Jared had woken up that morning, grumbled at him about trying to slip pineapple in his eggs again, and drank both cups of warm blood that Danneel gave to him with only a little scrunching of his face before heading to the roof to feed to bunnies.

“They don’t like the dark.” Jared was sitting back under the covered roof with both baby bunnies, feeding them by hand and watching them hop and play with one another when he spoke before Jensen could. “Why’d you cover them, Jensen?” he asked quietly.

“It hurt to look at them, to remember how happy you were that night, when I was facing losing you forever,” Jensen replied as he moved closer, careful to put himself between Jared and the bright morning sun. He could feel the slight pain the boy was in as he forgot that while the sun wouldn’t kill them, it did hurt if they weren’t careful, especially new vampires like Jared. “I made sure they were cared for but…I couldn’t look at them right then. I’m sorry if covering them scared them or if it upset you when you came up to feed them. Why didn’t you wake me up, Jay?”

Jared looked up slowly, shielding his eyes to see Jensen, and then he blinked when a pair of dark glasses slipped onto his face to cover his eyes. “You looked pretty tired so I thought I’d just let you sleep while I fed the bunnies…but then Danneel insisted I had to eat and…I don’t think I like blood warmed in the microwave.” He made another face of distaste. “Can’t I drink it cold or warm it on the stove? It tastes funny in the microwave.”

“You can have it whatever way you want it, _cher_ ,” Jensen murmured as he knelt down beside his boyfriend and felt Jared lean into him. “It’ll take you time to adjust to the type of blood you prefer…each vampire does actually prefer a particular blood type. You’ll also learn how you like to drink it and if cold or stove warmed is want you want, then that’s how it’ll be.” He lightly kissed Jared’s hair and smelled the soft apple scent of shampoo which told him the boy had been awake long enough to shower. “Hmm, I really wish you’d’ve woken me up, Jay. I wanted to be with you when you faced the others or…showered.”

“If I had woken you up before I showered, I don’t think we would’ve gotten out of the bedroom yet, Jensen.” Jared smiled with his full dimples showing, standing with only a little wobble to his long legs. “Still a little weak.” He looked over at the hand on his shoulder. “Normal?”

“Because you were so badly hurt when you were turned, yeah, this is actually normal.” Jensen helped him put the bunnies away, noticing that Jared already seemed to know how to adjust to his increased strength so to not hurt the animals. “You’re almost a natural at this,” he murmured, impressed and amazed at Jared’s ability to adjust.

Jared glanced over with a slight blush on his cheeks at the praise, ducking his head like he always would do when shy. “I think it’s because I’ve been around you for the last six months. So far nothing’s really freaked me out or been hard to adjust to. Will I be able to shift like you can?” he asked as he let Jensen lead him back downstairs.

“One day you probably will, but it will take a very long time…and it might not be a wolf because every vampire has their own shape they prefer to shift to,” Jensen told him, sensing out where the others were and smiling when he felt they were alone for the time being. “Jay?” he nudged Jared toward the bedroom and wasn’t surprised when the new vampire picked up his thoughts and went with the nudge. “You are still weak but…”

“It’s okay…I wanna feel you, Jen.” Jared turned to meet the arms that folded around him. “Is it stupid that I can still feel what he…they did to me this time?” he asked, hoping his memories would go away like most of the physical wounds had seemed to. “I…want you to make love to me. I want to feel you instead of them. I was scared I’d never get to see you again or feel you but…”

In a blur of movement that left Jared gasping, he found himself on his back on the bed with his shirt halfway across the room. Jensen was leaning over him, heat and want showing in his green eyes but also the love that only Jared could bring out.

“No buts, _cher_ ,” he whispered softly, low sexy drawl coming into his voice while his fingers touched the still evident marks on Jared’s neck from where he’d turned him. “No doubts, no shame. Like I told you before, you had no way to fight that bastard and nothing changes how I look at you or how much I want you.” Jensen slid his lips down Jared’s chest, pausing to shower attention on each hardening little nub until his lover was losing himself in the intense feelings. “Let me make love to you?”

“Yes,” Jared groaned and then he was lost in every sensation that seemed so much more intense as Jensen touched him with loving skill instead of rushed lust. “Jen, need…want…God, why are you going so slow?” he asked with as close to a whine as he was willing to admit to right then. He was frustrated by what he thought was Jensen’s deliberate teasing before he realized he’d already gotten used to vampire speed. “So much for being a natural with this change, huh?”

“You’re young anyway, so you’re naturally impatient.” Jensen smiled and kissed him to bring the dimples back out as Jared smiled again. “It’s worse for you because you are still adjusting to sex as a pleasurable thing so it’s like learning two things when being really impatient.” He licked over soft lips until he felt Jared open his mouth to allow him to explore, welcoming it and getting braver with his own touch. “We also have all the time in the world now, darlin’. I have eternity to make love to you, to show you how much I love you, and to explore all those places you want to see.”

Jared arched under the touch of his lover’s hands moving over his body, blindly wondering when he’d lost his jeans while also slowly noticing the one definite change that had come from being turned into a vampire. He’d noticed it in the bathroom when he’d showered, and now he could see it reflected in Jensen’s eyes and thoughts as the older vampire leaned back to slowly run his eyes over a well-built muscular body that fit Jared much better than the badly under nourished body had. “Jensen?” he whispered, still unsure about the deepness of the emotion he could feel from the other vampire.

“The first night I saw you? The night when I acted like an ass and scared you?” Jensen had to stop what he was doing to just look at Jared and be amazed that he was so damn lucky to have found this boy and that despite his mistakes, Jared was willing to love him back. “I thought to myself that you were the most beautiful man I’d seen in nearly 200 years. Now? I think that I am so damn lucky to be able to call you mine.” He leaned down to meet Jared’s lips in a kiss that slowly heated.

“Will you want me always?” Jared had some time earlier to think too long and thought perhaps he wouldn’t be interesting enough to keep Jensen, that one day the older vampire would become bored with him. He gasped at the feel of a well-placed knee slipping up between his legs to lightly nudge his already responding cock.

“I will want you, love you, have you forever, Jared,” Jensen promised, his voice thick with emotion. “I will give you eternity by my side. I will give you my heart. I will give you whatever you want or desire, darlin’. You just have to ask for it.”

Their kisses heated, their hands touched and played, and Jensen once again marveled at Jared’s control. He remembered his first time with sex as a vampire had resulted in him unable to control his fangs, and the young man he’d been with had nearly paid the price. Jensen was amazed that Jared didn’t seem to be having that issue as he met each kiss, each touch, each sound passionately.

“Can…can I still work on getting a GED?” Jared finally asked when they finally took a break between kisses; his hips were still thrusting up to find some relief as Jensen straddled him to let their cocks touch. “I…I know vampires might not need a diploma, but I’d like to still say I was smart enough to get one and…then one day…go to school for…something if…I could.”

Jensen had been certain that nothing this boy said would stun him anymore, now but as he heard the wistfulness for something as normal as a diploma and heard the desire to prove to himself that he was smart, he reminded himself that being a vampire didn’t instantly wipe away doubts or fears; rather, it often heightened them.

“You can do whatever you want, Jay,” he assured him, shifting to move long legs back and up while he began to carefully open Jared with one slicked finger. He wanted to see the boy’s face this time when he came and he wanted to see his eyes now as well. “Of course you can still get your GED and go to college if you want. You can do whatever you want, become anything you want and I will support you…just don’t let Chad help with your homework.”

Jared’s face was wide open with joy as he focused on Jensen and not the remnants of darker thoughts; he was glad that this time he was able to push aside himself while trying to urge Jensen to skip this step. “I heal fast now, right?”

“Pushy bottom,” Jensen chuckled, licking over and into Jared’s mouth to soothe his impatient lover. “Just because you heal fast doesn’t mean you don’t feel pain, Jay. You can feel pain and I won’t cause you pain just for the sake of fast sex…unless we’re playing rough which we’re not, so here is one of those lessons you’ll need to learn now: be patient and enjoy.”

Jared debated arguing that he was patient, but he decided to let that go in favor of returning the kisses while relaxing to the feel of skilled fingers working him open. Not once did his thoughts return to the pain and horror of that basement room.

Jensen could feel the internal wounds had healed like Jared’s external ones had, but he still stretched him until he could move three fingers with little resistance. “Tell me if it hurts too much,” he said, getting a nod, but he could tell by the darkening hazel eyes that Jared was already deep into lust and vowed one of these times to take his time making love to this young man.

This position was odd for Jared as he wasn’t used to seeing his partner, but as he felt the smooth if still slow entrance of Jensen’s cock in his ass, he realized that this way would allow him to watch and touch Jensen as well.

“Jen!” he gasped in surprise when Jensen gave a sudden roll of his hips that took him in halfway, feeling his body stretch more around the thick cock that Jared knew he would never get tired of feeling inside him. “Please!”

“One of these times I will make love to you slowly,” Jensen muttered, wanting that but accepting it wasn’t going to be this time. He gave into Jared’s mumbled pleas while still trying not to lose control of his strength; he knew he could unintentionally hurt the still weaker than him new vampire. “Move, Jay. Move how you want to.”

Jared had been certain that he had nothing new to learn, that nothing would make him feel better than the last time, but now he knew better, he was positive that he and Jensen could make love a million more times and it would never be the same or boring.

He met each thrust with a move of his own until every new sense he had was on edge but still Jared was surprised that his fangs weren’t out fully. He could feel them with his own tongue but they didn’t come out as he could see Jensen’s had and had time to wonder the reason when he suddenly knew. “Jensen.”

“Jay, what…” Jensen was focusing on not losing control when he felt a rush of feeling hit him, felt his tongue hit a fang and had to push back the need to claim Jared in all ways…until he looked to see those deep wide eyes watching him. He watched in stunned shock as a long arm wrapped around his neck to bring Jared up closer as the young man exposed his neck willingly, invitingly, to him. “Jared…no…”

“Yours, Jen,” Jared replied softly, a bit more Texas in his voice now as if even that had been heightened by the change. “Wanna be yours….wanna feel you make me yours in all ways. I’m offering freely…if you want…”

Jensen’s eyes went fully dark as that sank in; he froze in mid-thrust to catch a handful of hair to pull Jared’s head back so their eyes could meet and hold. “You’re already mine, Jay,” he replied tightly, lust and desire pulling at him but needing to make sure the boy knew what he was saying. “I don’t need anything deeper to tell me that. I just need…” He stopped when he understood.

He didn’t need anything more, but apparently Jared still needed that reassurance. It would be a way to tell others in the city and other vampires they might meet in their travels that Jared was more than a simple lover or companion or a fledging that Jensen had turned.

“Mine, _cher_ ,” he whispered, kissing Jared deeply before allowing his fangs to sink into his neck deeper than they had either time before while giving a solid roll of his hips that took his cock right where both he and Jared wanted it.

“ _Jensen_!” Jared felt the wave of pleasure spike through him, unsure what part of this caused it but unable to stop the sudden climax that hit him hard; strips of white come spurted out to cover both of their stomachs. He then lost himself to Jensen’s voice in his head as he felt warmth filling him and knew his lover felt the same as Jensen’s orgasm sent him over the edge shortly behind Jared. “Oh my God!”

The rest of the moment was lost to passion; words were lost to silent assurances of love, of promises for the days, years, centuries to come.

Jensen pulled back to give a hot, hard kiss, a kiss that Jared welcomed passionately. He began to stroke Jared’s softening cock to help him through his until he saw a flash of white and was quick to ease them both back to the mattress to regain his breath. He smiled as he heard a soft murmur close to his ear.

“Love you too, Jared.” He kissed him softly now, waiting to be sure Jared was over his own orgasm before easing out gently and collapsing beside him to hold him against him. “I will always love you.”

Jensen knew the force of the orgasm, much stronger due to the change, had knocked his young lover out for a short time, so he took that time to wipe them both clean, slipped them under the covers and sent a silent command to leave them alone for the day while he waited to see those deep hazel eyes open again.

Carding his fingers back through soft long dark hair, Jensen pressed his lips to the puncture marks on Jared’s neck to close them and then settled down to hold his sleepy, sexed out boyfriend as Jared nuzzled happily until he was in Jensen’s arms fully, head finding the one spot he seemed to like to sleep in.

“Love you, Jensen,” Jared mumbled after a few moments, lashes fluttering but not opening when he moved his fingers up to curl around the moon medal that Jensen wore. “Is this really over?”

“For you is it,” Jensen assured him, but he knew it wouldn’t be for him until he completed one final piece of business.

It took another six months for that business to be completed. Jared was accepted readily enough by most of the vampires in New Orleans and others who dealt with Jensen through his businesses. Only once did someone make a comment about how rough around the edges, how human, the fledging still seemed. It was only once because it wasn’t hard to discover that Jensen reacted swiftly to insult or possible threat to the vampire who now wore not only his medal but also his ring on his hand.

They’d agreed to stay in New Orleans to celebrate what Jensen rolled his eyes over, but Jared insisted that Jensen’s 200th birthday was a big deal and deserved a big celebration. The following day Matt Cohen was flying them along with Chad in Jensen’s private plane to London where they would start a year-long trip to explore the world.

“If anything happens that Chad and Matt can’t handle you call me.” Chris Kane was not thrilled with getting stuck in New Orleans until things were settled with Jensen’s businesses as well as tying up loose ends in Jared’s life, but he agreed as long as Jensen promised to stay in touch and watch his back.

They were standing on a dock outside a lesser known warehouse that Jensen owned while Danneel and Matt distracted Jared with final decisions for Jensen’s ‘surprise’ party. The call that morning made Jensen decide to keep his partner out of this action because no matter what had happened, Jared was still as naïve as he had been that first night and this was not something he wanted him to take part in.

“As soon as you find someone you can trust, someone who can really handle things here, I look forward to you joining us.” Jensen turned at the sound of someone approaching. “I’m gonna have my hands full on this trip. Jared’s can be hyper enough on his own…and when he’s around Chad? Yeah, you need to join us soon. And by the way, thanks for finding a way to make traveling containers for the bunnies. You shoulda seen Jared’s face when I told him.”

Jared had been worried about leaving his pets, so Chris had come up with a way for the boy to take the little bunnies with them so Jared wouldn’t be lonely or worried about them.

The gruff vampire had merely smirked when Jensen grumbled that if those rabbits began to multiply, he was blaming Chris but Jared had been so happy, he’d lost his complaints in favor of hearing the boy laugh.

Now, before he went to join his friends for dinner, Jensen had one other matter to deal with. He’d kept it from Jared as much as possible that while Mark Sheppard and Mike had been dealt with, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and his chief torturer had eluded Chris and the police’s attempts to find them.

It had been an accident that Jared learned of it at all and then Jensen spent a weekend calming him down and reassuring him that he was safe from the man. That had been another reason he looked forward to getting Jared out of the city, but the call this morning from an acquaintance in Baton Rouge gave him a chance to finally close the books on Jared’s nightmares forever.

“Ty,” Chris greeted the tall, bearded vampire who drove the quiet boat into the private dock by the warehouse. “You said you had something that Jensen would find interesting. It better be what you promised, ‘cause if he’s late, I’m getting bitched at by Danneel.”

Ty Olsson pushed his hat back and offered a slow smirk, nodding to what he had bundled up behind him. “You boys put the word out on the Gulf Coast about wanting these boys. I thought when a few of my boys spotted them on a private boat, you’d like to know about it. Smugglin’ comes in handy now and then.”

Jensen stared into the face of Jeffrey Dean Morgan as two of the smuggler’s pals manhandled the tied up mortal up to a smirking Chris before doing the same to his chief enforcer, Christopher Heyerdahl.

“You would’ve been smarter to leave the country,” he told the former pimp, feeling a surge of anger as he could still remember so much of Jared’s pain and how badly he’d been hurt at the hands of these men. “Why stay? You knew I’d never stop looking for you or this piece of shit after what you did to him.”

Morgan grunted as he landed in a heap at Jensen’s feet. “That boy wasn’t the first one that I’ve had to get rid of. I knew I just had to lay low for a few months until things cooled off and you moved on. Then I’d be back to business as…ugh!”

A fast hand grabbed him up by the throat. “You think I’d ever let you back in my city after what you did to Jared? You think I’d let you live knowing that no matter what he’d still be scared of you?” Jensen watched the confusion come over the bearded face and smirked. “You never believed what that old man told you about me, did you, Morgan?”

“I don’t give a fuck if you’re a vampire!” Morgan spat, hating Jensen for what he’d cost him. “You still lost the boy so…”

Jensen’s fingers had started to tighten when his phone went off and he shoved the pimp to Chris while Heyerdahl was held easily by the smuggler as Jensen turned away to answer his phone. “Hey, Jay,” he greeted easily, watching as it hit Morgan. “Yeah, I’ll be home in time. In fact, I’m on my home now. Love you, _cher._ ” He turned to smile. “I didn’t lose anything, Morgan.” He stepped closer to meet the hateful eyes. “I promised that you would never hurt him again or anyone else. I keep my promises. Make them bleed. I’m done with him and I’m going home to Jared.”

Jensen walked away, hearing the sounds of screaming but refusing to dwell on what was happening. All he cared about what that he could finally tell Jared he was safe…he would always be safe now.

The vampire stopped at one of his offices in the city to shower and change so Jared wouldn’t smell the bastard on him and he was confident that Chris would follow suit before returning home. He pulled his car into the garage on the side of the French Quarter home and smiled at the sounds of music, friends and colleagues inside. He shook his head fondly as he also could sense Jared’s excitement.

He stepped up to the door to take a deep breath before schooling his features so he could pretend to be surprised despite the fact that Chad had blown the surprise a month earlier. Jensen wouldn’t ruin this for Jared and he went up the steps to the living room where the lights came on with a rush of voices shouting well wishes and Happy Birthday even though some of those in the room didn’t realize just how old he was.

Jensen kept up the façade of surprise. He smiled, he accepted handshakes and other joking comments until he finally managed to work his way closer to Jared who’d kept his distance as he was prone to when they were surrounded by large groups of people and didn’t want to be a distraction to Jensen.

“Happy Birthday, Jensen.” He turned from the punch bowl only to gasp when fingers curled in his hair to bring his head down into a heated kiss that was held until the tension of the crowd left his husband. “Hello to you too.”

“Thank you for this, Jay,” Jensen murmured, nuzzling Jared’s neck while ignoring Chad’s mock choking sounds from the other side of the room.

“Danneel planned it. I just suggested it.” Jared smiled shyly, fingers curling in Jensen’s shirt so he could feel him while he let himself be pulled into his husband’s arms. “Is he dead, Jen?” he asked quietly, feeling Jensen tense. “You showered and changed shirts, Jen. You made love to me this afternoon like I was fragile glass, and you haven’t done that since right after you changed me. You and Chris found out where he was, didn’t you?”

Jensen smiled in pride that Jared had seen through his best attempts to keep him out of it. “It’s dealt with now, _cher_ ,” he murmured, feeling a shudder go through Jared and tightening his arms. “They’re both dead now, so they can’t hurt you or anyone else again. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you but I…I didn’t want you to have to see either of them again. I…”

“No, no, I don’t think I could see him. Even now, I think of him and it makes me sick.” Jared loved Jensen so much and now more than ever for still trying to protect him. “Thank you for not giving up and for still keeping me safe from that. Can…can we enjoy your party now?” he asked, ready to move on with his life fully and start a new one with Jensen.

“That sounds like a fabulous idea.” Jensen took Jared’s hand in his and held it tightly as they began to mingle with the guests, both thinking of what was to come for them and not the past as Jensen watched Jared smile and thanked those above for what would always be his eternal love.

**The End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience in waiting weekly for each chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it and yeah, like my other chapter J2 AU's if and when I get a break from new things I might do a timestamp. :)


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